


Of ones, heart songs and second chances

by TheCuriousCat



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Aragorn is a grumpy old man, Aragorn just wants to stab Legolas in peace, Arwen is a troll, Arwen likes to show emotions just to scare the company, As does dead Vili and Frerin, BAMF Bilbo Baggins, BAMF Nori, Bilba finds Fili's bad flirting cute, Dad Nori, Dead Dis yells at dead Thorin throughout the whole trip, Dead Fili heckles Living Fili, Dead Fili watches his younger self trying to flirt, Dead Kili heckles Living Kili, Dead Thorin heckles living Thorin, F/M, Female Bilbo Baggins, Fili loves Bilbo Baggins, Gimli is so done, Gimli just wants to keep his friends safe, M/M, Nori is a Little Shit, Sassy Bilbo Baggins, Time Travel Fix-It, Young Bilbo Baggins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:34:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 54,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28621863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCuriousCat/pseuds/TheCuriousCat
Summary: Bilba makes a wish as she, Fili, Kili and Thorin wait for Frodo to join them on the ship to the dwarven halls of the dead. She makes many actually between worry for him and anger for putting him in this situation. Yavanna decided to grant her wishes because she also thinks that this whole thing could have been done better (though she doesn't blame Bilba in the slightest). Now Bilba is a child being forced to relive the fell winter moments to late to save her parents. It doesn't seem like much but the death of Azog's warg changes everything.Like the flap of a butterfly's wings.
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel/Gimli (Son of Glóin), Bilbo Baggins/Fíli, Dwalin/Ori (Tolkien), Elladan (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s), Elrohir (Tolkien)/Original Female Character(s)/Bifur (Tolkien), Frerin/Celebrían, Frodo Baggins/Legolas Greenleaf, Kíli (Tolkien)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Nori/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 260
Kudos: 383





	1. Chapter 1

Bilba Baggins watches after her death. She watches her nephew as he gets beat down again and again, as he fights a fight that was never his. A fight she was to much of a coward to do herself. Sure, sometimes when there is a lull in young Frodo's travels she will let her mind make excuses but then he'll start again and he'll get hurt **again**. She can't fool herself for long, never could.

Thorin, Fili and Kili stay with her instead of getting on the ships that will take them to their halls. Even when she shouts and screams, they will not leave her again. **He** will not leave her again. So she watches and she regrets and she hurts, the more time they stay the less time they have with family once passed. It's another thing that's all her fault, their family must hate her as much as she hates herself.

Frodo's quest (her's, it was her's damn it. If she wasn't such a coward!) is finished, the ring is gone and the lands are free. He returns home with smiles and laughs, Thorin, Fili and Kili rejoice at the side of their ship. (They never touch it, scared that if they do it will take them to their halls. Sometimes she wants to push them into it, her shriveled heart hoping for what they fear.) He returns home and he falls into the same heart sickness she did, his heart longs for the elf prince of Mirkwood. An elf who longs just as much for her nephew but is scared of losing him like his friend did Kili so he decided to not even try. The dwarrow at her sides look on in confusion as Frodo crumples in her smial, he stops eating, stops bathing. One day he just stops all together.

"Why?!" Kili had asked in outrage as Maraulf Dewfoot, the current head of law Hobbits, sadly prodded Frodo into signing his will. It was a question that had her explaining heart sickness to them. Dwarrow had ones, Hobbits had heart songs.

Every Hobbit had a heart song, from the moment they were born. A soft beat at first, a note at a time but as they grew so did the song. A song that would one day be sung by whoever Yavanna destined them for. Fili looks highly upset that she's spent her whole life listening to a song about blunt knives and broken china, it makes her laugh at least until she tells them the rest. Because when a heart song dies so does a Hobbit.

"It's not a physical death." She explains softly as she watches Frodo roll onto his side in a bed he hadn't left in weeks. "It's like everything is taken away, color dulls, smells are meaningless, food is bland at best. It's all gone." Her fingers curl in anger. "I have never seen a song killed by rejection. I hope he feels Frodo's death and knows that the fault is his own." She has never understood their hate for elves until now.

Yavanna answers her anger. Moments after Frodo steps into her arms in the in between the door to her smial is burst open by a panicked Legolas. The elf sobs as he holds the cooling body though none of them know, their vision of the living world disappearing with Frodo's appearance.

* * *

With Frodo among them it is time to finally move on. Frodo steps onto the ship first with Kili on his heels as they talk of their elves who could not join them, hands locked because Frodo cannot enter the ship without a Dwarven escort. Thorin is next to make sure they don't cause trouble. She smiles as Fili holds his hand out to her, she clasps his hand in her own and walks up the ramp. 

He steps onto the ship and she's right behind him, about to do the same when she sees it. In the waters below she sees herself as a faun, she recognizes this moment! It's the fell winter! Right before her parents died!

"Who is that? She looks like you." Fili says as he looks over the ledge.

"It is me. Moments before my parents died." She says faintly, the image is frozen in the water and she knows in her soul that if she lets go of Fili it will drop her right in that moment. She could save them, she could save everyone.

"I can't get off the ship." Fili says gently making her snap towards him. The smile he gives her breaks her heart all over again. "None of us can, we're passengers now. Our course is set." He leans forward and kisses her, tears stream down her face. "But yours is not, my one." He gently buts his forehead against hers. It's permission, if she chooses to go back he will let her. It hurts so much.

"If we have a son I want to call him Vili." She says with new found energy, Fili laughs brightly and drags her into another kiss over the railing.

"If we have a daughter I want to call her Belladonna." He retorts before he lets go of her hand. He and the ship vanish causing her to go plummeting into the water below.

* * *

She wakes slowly in confusion, where is she? What had she just been doing? She blinks sleepily as she looks around the room she hadn't seen since she was a child. What?

....

....

She shoots up and stumbles into the hall to look at [herself](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/594827063278193876/) in the mirror. It's her! She's a kid! It worked!

Her happiness is cut off by a low snarl, she turns slowly and is met with Azog's warg shoving it's way into her smial. Why is it here?! In the back of her mind she remembers what made the fell winter so dangerous for Hobbits. The river froze over and they were invaded by wolves **and** orcs. Why oh why did it have to be Azog?!

"Bilba!" Her mother and father scream from outside followed by the sound of flesh being ripped from bone. She's to late. Oh Yavanna why?! Was this a sign? Then why was she here?!

The warg takes another step and her sorrow turns to fury, this orc has taken her heart song and her parents! Twice! If he wants to hurt her then she's going to hurt him right back. She's to small to take on the warg head on but she's a burglar, head on isn't her style. She waits until it puts her fathers chair between them then she darts into the kitchen. It tries to jump after her but hits the roof, with those precious seconds she's able to yank a large kitchen knife out of the knife draw. 

She waits for it to start bounding past to act. As soon as she sees it's head she launches the knife like Fili had shown her once upon a time. It slices right through its neck and she hears it thump further down the hall. She grabs another knife just in case but it doesn't seem like she needs it. The warg tries to push itself up twice before it stills, Bliba buries her new knife in it's skull just to make sure then she cuts it's head off. 

Azog isn't there nor are any of the other orcs which enrages her, she promises herself that she'll kill the bastard on the ledge. He will not be taking her heart song a second time. 

* * *

The first thing Bilba does is lock **everything**. She won't be caught unaware again, not in her own home. Then she raids all of the spare rooms, she piles mountains of fabric in front of her front room fire place. It's unlit but she doesn't plan for that to last, she will never cower in the cold darkness again. She separates the fabric into three piles; For the fire, can be made into rope, use on arrows. She shoves the first pile to the wall the fireplace sat in and tosses the first piece in then places the last of the dry fire wood in and lights it.

Now she has warmth she turns to her next to piles, the third is useless to her today so she moves it out of the way. She shreds the 'rope' fabric then tightly braids them together, she does this until she has four long ropes then leaves the rest.

Next on her list of survival is food, she grabs a parchment and quill then takes stock.  
22 apples  
37 Butternut squash's  
10 Carrots  
53 Dates  
12 Jars of Elderberry jam  
17 Fennels  
204 Green beans  
7 heads of lettuce  
27 leaks  
5 oranges  
42 Strawberries  
27 Tomatoes  
1 Zucchini  
A large warg  
Herbs  
Salt  
Sugar  
Flour  
14 eggs

Okay, she can work with this. First she needs to take care of the warg to stop it rotting. She gets her ropes and ties two to opposite sides of the room. Once she's sure they won't undo she starts trying to throw the other two ropes over the wooden celling beam.

It takes her a while but she does it in the end, now the hard bit. She uses her kitchen knife to cut longways between the tendons near the wargs back feet then makes a circular cut just above it before she loops the two ropes hanging from the ceiling through the gaps. She has to pull each rope a little then tie it off and move to the other to get the warg off the floor but she manages. Next she copies the cuts onto the front legs and ties them to the two ropes connected to the walls.

* * *

Fili sits in the halls of the dead with his family and watches in pride as his one (so small and young yet so fierce) skins and quarters Azog's prized warg just like he taught her. He loves her so much, so so much and he can't wait until she is with him again. It is strange being in two places at once, he can **feel** his younger self as can Kili, his uncle and his mother. They are alive yet dead with no way to make contact. All he can do is sit here and watch so he does. 

He wonders what his one will do with all the time she has now.

* * *

She follows the seem along the wargs front right leg all the way to the round cut she made on the right back leg (having to stand on the table to reach), after that she separates the skin from the muscle on the wargs belly before repeating the whole thing on the left side. She cuts the belly skin in half and tosses the bit closer to the back over the back legs then she starts pulling the skin off the back. Once she gets to the tail she cuts through the muscle then grabs the tail and jumps off the table, it pops out with a sickening crack but she ignores it and continues.

Once the skin is off she grabs a large pot then goes over it again to get as much meat of of it as possible (The meat goes into the pot at her side) then she salts it and leaves it on the side. Now she needs to quarter the warg.

She holds onto the front left leg with her right hand and uses her left to cut along the shoulder while being carful not to cut through the back straps. Once the leg is separated she brings it to the kitchen counter before dragging the pot she left on the floor over, she then cuts along the joint connecting the shoulder to the leg. She drops the leg into the pot and the shoulder into a new pot before going back to the warg. While the other front leg is still tied she decides to remove the back straps, she cuts deeply right along the back bone and follows it right to the severed neck. She goes back to the top of the cut and cuts across then uses her thumb to pull the meat back and keeps cutting under until she's separated the large slab of meat from the rest of the warg. It goes into the pot with the shoulder before she starts on the other side, when both back straps are in the pot moves on.

She cuts off the other front leg like she did the first then she separates the shoulder from the leg the same way as well, they go into their pots and Bilba prepares herself for the next step. She first slides the table she was using to stand on under the warg and moves the dinning chairs around it so that if it rolls off it won't hit the floor then she climbs onto it and starts. She uses her knife to follow along the ham, carving right around the bone. She flays the ham away from the body then does the same on the other side. She turns the warg over and does the same to the front, she finds the ball joints and severs them.

Now the back legs are hanging on by a thread so she hops down and gets a new pot, she's now three pots deep. She lifts it (with a lot of trouble, her arms are really small and she's tired) onto the table and climbs back on, she pushes the pot under the warg then makes a long incision from the bottom of the breast bone to just under the separated ham. She reaches in and finds the windpipe, once she finds it she cuts it and stats pulling down. 

She finds that she only has to make a few more cuts to get all of the organs into the pot, she struggles to get the pot onto the floor and ends up having to get a forth pot which she shoves half of the contents into. Once she has both of the pots in the kitchen she returns to the warg.

She gently cuts along the hams until they separate and the legless carcass falls onto the table, she manages to move just in time to not get knocked off. She unties the two ceiling ropes and lowers the back legs. She cuts them like she cut the front legs and separated them the same way too. Last but not least she brings her leg pot over and tires to get as much spare meat off of the warg as she can.

Now she has bloody hands and four pots of meat. She needs to start cooking, she'll deal with the carcass after her belly is full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	2. Chapter 2

The problem Bilba encounters is that (as she's said before) she's small and tired. Her head just reaches the stove top and her arms feel like lead, she wants to give up. She would if she didn't hear Fili's joyful voice singing about burning corks. It makes her smile, reminds her why she's here. She can't let this get the better of her, she needs to be strong for her heart song and their future.

"Blunt the knives, bend the forks." She sings softly to give herself strength then she starts separating the organs into edible and non-edible.

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks!" She sings louder as she pushes the pot with the non-edible organs in it to the side then washes her hands. 

"Chip the glasses and crack the plates." She grabs a pan and goes outside to fill it with snow, she puts the snow into the leg pot and goes to get another.

"That's what Bilba Baggins hates!" She find herself dancing between the front door and her pots.

"Cut on the cloth, tread on the fat." She cuts a potato and two carrots and adds them to the pot along with some dried herbs then shoves the pot onto the stove and lights the fire.

"Leave the bones on the bedroom mat." She fills the edible organs pot and the shoulder pot full of snow as well then drags them to the coldest part of the house.

"Pour the milk on the pantry floor." She re-washes her hands and gets changed into something not covered in warg blood, the soiled clothes and the bloody rug the warg landed on get tossed onto the fire. She liked that rug.

"Splash the wine on every door!" She braids her hair so to keep it out of her face then starts cleaning up after herself, she's made a right mess of her smial and that won't do at all.

"Dump the crocks in a bowling bowl." She moves the dinning chairs back to the dinning room since none of them have blood on them then mops around the table carrying the carcass.

"Pound 'em up with a thumping pole." She picks up the discarded warg head and decides to hang it on her front door just in case Azog comes back. She refuses to get her door dirty though so she salts the neck and sticks it to a bit of discarded wood.

"If you're finished, if any are left whole." She ties the head to her door with vicious pride, lets see Azog come after her now.

"Send them down the hill to roll!" She assesses her fathers chair, it's hopeless. The warg shredded it trying to get to her. She drags it to the fireplace, it will be the start of the next fire.

"That's what Bilba Baggins hates!" She shouts the last bit as she puts her cleaning supplies away then descends into giggles, she can't wait to meet them all again.

* * *

Fili laughs brightly as he and Kili sing along with his one. He remembers singing it like it was yesterday, in his minds eye he still sees Bilba fighting to keep the mirth off her face as she tries to scold them.

"That's what Bilba Baggins hates is it boys?" His mother asks cutting their joy down like the skilled hunter she is.

"Umm..." He says not really knowing what to do with his mothers irk since it's been so long. He shoots a pleading look to his uncle Thorin who just crosses his arms with the same look.

"It's her heart song!" Kili points out loudly to try and calm them. Mother, father and uncle Frerin look confused while uncle Thorin's face goes through several emotions before he settles on outrage. Damn it Kili!

" **That** is the song she's listened to her whole life! It's no wonder she didn't want to come on the quest in the first place!"

"What are you talking about brother?" Asks uncle Frerin. "How could she have known about the song before they sung it?" 

This leads Frodo to explain Heart songs to the large gathering of dwarrow who had joined them in watching his one.

"Boys..." Father sighs after the explanation, it makes him feel worse than his mothers blistering anger.

"I know father, I was appalled when I learned of it as well. She deserves so much better than broken bottles and wine on doors." He says.

"She may deserve more pebble but it looks like she's quite happy with the song she has." His grandfather adds as he points to the screen. 

Little Bilba has a bright smile on her face as she makes pie crusts while she waits for her food. Her foot still taps to the unheard rhythm and her movements seem dancelike at times. Fili feels himself melting as he watches her. His one, the fire to his forge. He'll kill his younger self himself if he hurts her after everything she's done for him.

* * *

Bilba rolls the pie crust knowing that most of her fruit is going to be turned into pies, the strawberries first since they would be the first to spoil. She's managed to make ten pie crusts when she hears a faint voice outside, she darts to the window and spots Kayla Longriver holding three bundles trekking through the snow. She remembers the Longriver tragedy, Butilin Longriver ripped apart by wolves or wargs in his smial while his wife Kayla and their triplets had been found frozen to death in the street. No one knew why she had been out there though some thought that she had run to save the babies. 

Butilin must already be dead but Kayla and their triplets weren't. She almost runs strait out the door only to skid back around a throw a blanket over the carcass, Kayla didn't need to see more gore.

"Miss Longriver! Miss Longriver are you okay!" She shouts as she stumbles down her freezing stone path.

Kayla's head snaps towards her and she sobs, sinking to her knees in the snow. "Mistress Baggins!" She cries. "Oh thank Yavanna! Please Mistress Baggins, please take my fauns. I cannot... I lost... I have heart sickness Mistress Baggins. Please."

"It's okay Miss Longriver, I'm so sorry for your loss. Let's get you inside hmm?" She tries to pull Kayla up, Kayla must take pity on her because she stands and doesn't pull away as Bilba leads her to the steps of Bag End.

"They will be safe with Master and Mistress Baggins the elder. I know they will, please. I want to join my heart, please. I... AHHH!!!" Kayla stops in horror.

She looks where Kayla is looking and freezes, Yavanna damn it. She forgot about the warg head. "Miss Longriver, I'm so sorry. It's just a warning. Nothing to worry about. I promise that it's quite dead."

"A...a warning?! To who?!" Kayla exclaims but lets herself be pulled past it and into the smial.

"To the orc who murdered my parents and sent it after me..." She starts saying only to stop at Kayla's horrified look. "What's wrong Miss Longriver? Are you okay? Here, come sit. I was making stew, I'll get you some." She gently helps Kayla into the chair so that she doesn't wake the sleeping babies then darts into the kitchen to pull the stew off of the stove and fill a bowl. "Here you go."

Kayla looks at the bowl on the verge of tears. " _Master and Mistress Baggins the elder are dead?_ " She asks in a whisper. Oh, that's why she's so upset.

"They are, it happened earlier." She says in sorrow, she may have already spent years morning her parents but to be so close to saving them only to fail...

"You're alone..."

"I'm not, you're here and so are the babies. What are their names by the way? We all got snowed in before you could announce it."

Kayla smiles, it's small and broken (as expected from someone with heart sickness) but it's there. "This is Allowin, he's the eldest." She says as she gently hands him over, Bilba smiles at him before making him a blanket nest on the table so that Kayla won't be far from them while she eats. "This is Pepin, he's the middle faun." Bilba repeats the process, neither boy awake though they do move around a little to get resettled. "And this is Devin, she's the youngest."

Once Devin is settled next to her brothers Bilba turns to Kayla. "Don't lift the blanket over the table in the hall okay, I've not had a chance to move the carcass. I'm going to go to your smial to lock up okay." Kayla looks like she's going to cry but she shakily nods. "Can I bring the spoilable food here?" Kayla nods again. "Remember to eat for the triplets." She says before she leaves.

She trusts that Kayla will make it until her last child marries their heart song. Just like she had planed to do for Frodo.

* * *

Halfway to the Longriver smial Bilba decides that the best way to protect her traders and farmers is to have them also staying with her. Her smial is big enough and high enough that it won't be the first place the wolves come which means she'll have more time to hunt them. She's determined to protect as many as she can.

Before she preposes this though she says a soft word to Yavanna for Butilin Longriver then slowly drags his remains to the Longriver back garden and buries him. She stabs a crude cross in the ground with his name on it so that Kayla knows where he is then she cleans any and all blood she sees before she takes the food and locks up.

She heads to the farmlands first as they are right at the bottom of the hill, she knocks on the first door.

Bell Gamgee shakily answers. "H..hello?"

"Hello Miss Gamgee, can I come in?" She asks.

Bell's eyes shoot to her and widen into saucers. "Mistress Baggins?! What are doing out here by yourself! Get in here right now!" Bell pratingly yanks her into the smial.

"Who's at the door Bell?" Calls Clovis as he rounds the corner, he almost trips when he sees her." Mistress Baggins?! By Yavanna, what in the world are you doing this far out in this storm?! Where are your parents?!"

"They... didn't make it Mr Gamgee." Bell gasps in horror and Clovis looks terribly upset.

"I am so sorry for your loss Mistress Baggins. What can we do for you?" Clovis says.

"I'm scared for you." She says, no reason to beat around the bush. They had always been strait with her and now it was her turn. "The river is frozen, wolves and orcs are attacking. You live a farm over from the river and are in great danger."

"Oh Mistress Baggins, you do not have to worry about us." Bell says gently. "We are quite saf..."

"Mr Longriver is dead." She snaps, Bell's eyes grow in shock. "He was ripped apart in his own smial right in front of Miss Longriver and their newborn triplets. She is currently in my smial suffering from heart sickness and eating stew made from a warg that belonged to the orc who ripped my parents apart. Do not tell me you are safe when you are right next to the bloody river!" She's breathing heavily by the end.

"What would you have us do Mistress Baggins?" Clovis asks gravely.

"Gather any food that will spoil before winter ends and come with me to Bag End. You and your family will be safe and we can pool our food to make it last longer." She says. "Plus I can't charge you rent for a place you're not staying in."

"Why?"

"Because you pay me rent which means that the moment mother and father died your safety became my responsibility." 

They are silent for a moment before Clovis sighs. "Bell, wake and dress the fauns. I'll help Bilba get the food." Bell nods and scampers off to wake their sons and Clovis leads her to their food stores. "Are you sure you're okay Mistress Baggins?" He asks her softly as he fills her bag, his only ends up half full. They wouldn't have had enough to not go hungry a few days at a time.

"I don' have time not to be. I need to be busy right now Mr Gamgee." He nods and they go to wait at the door.

Bell turns back up with Cottar and Crassus who are both only a handful of years younger than her.

"Mistress Baggins" They both say respectfully.

"Mr's Gamgee" She replies before they all head out.

* * *

Fatima Boffin is more than happy to come with her, the Gamgee's are extremely lucky it would seem because Fatima husband Radegund had spotted a wolf trying to climb into Cottar and Crassus room and had used himself as bait to lure it away. He had a nasty bite on his arm and deep claw marks on his side for his troubles. It was good that Bilba planned to make many stops on the way to her smial so he had many chances to rest. She shredded their table cloth to bandage him up and Clovis gave Bell his food bag so that he could help Radegund walk. It was nice knowing that they were looking out for each other even without her to prompt them. (Something that was hard pressed with some of her blood family)

Omer Goodchild (despite the name or because of it) was extremely stubborn about not being anywhere that Radegund was since they were from rival farms. He didn't even care that Mr Longriver was eaten alive nor that her parents were murdered though he had the good sense to not say anything about it. In the end it was the rent exemption that had him packing up his food and following. She wouldn't have pushed so hard normally but she knew that he was one of the ones who died last time.

Ansegar Gammidge-Banks took one look at her and the group behind her before nodding, letting them in so that they had time to warm up then going to get his husband Fardulf. This was her last stop in the farmlands, now to get to the traders.

Fiona Proudfoot and her sisters Alura and Marigold didn't seem that interested at first but were horrified to learn about Mr Longriver who was a trader himself. If he was attacked on the same level as them then they truly were in danger. Alura sang as she packed up the food in the pantry and Omer dropped his bag in shock. She was his heart song, as soon as she stepped out he launched into a song of his own. It was really sweet even if they did have to be reminded that children were present more than once on the trip to her smial.

Mr Leuthard Silverstring, Miss Rowan Leafwalker and Mr Nob Undertree where quite unhappy to be sharing a smial with farmers but Bilba point blank refused to send them back to their smials so they reluctantly agreed and gathered their families.

* * *

Stepping into her smial was a relief right up until Radegund collapsed onto her floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	3. Chapter 3

It's somewhat of a mad scramble for a while, Fatima sobs into Kayla's arms as she starts to feel her heart song fade and accidentally outs herself as pregnant which makes it all the more urgent to save Radegund since the death of a heart song almost always kills unborn fauns. 

Ansegar and Fardulf carried away the table with the carcass on it while Clovis and Omer bring a new table in. Bell brings the children to the kitchen for food and all the traders but the Proudfoot sisters follow.

"We sell medical herbs and ointments. If you have right herbs I can help." Fiona says.

"I also studied the art of healing from mother, if you would let me I'd also like to help." Marigold adds.

"I agree, my herbs are in the dry store. We also brought some with us if you can't find what you're looking for. I give you free reign." She says addressing Fiona before turning to Marigold. "I would appreciate the help, the only healing I'm well versed in is Dwarvish. I may only be helpful for dressing and stitching the wound." All three of the sisters look highly interested but don't bring it up.

"Mistress Baggins." Fiona and Marigold say before Fiona darts off and Marigold steps up to the table.

"I don't like the fact that your sisters are helping my rival Alura." Omer grumbles.

Alura shares a sly look with Marigold before her whole face transforms and she bursts into tears. "You want a unborn faun to die?!" She wails loudly as fat tears fall down her face.

"What! No! Never my heart, you must believe me. Forget I said anything okay?" Omer says as he folds like a wet paper tower. Bilba had never really interacted with the Proudfoot sisters during her past life but apparently she was missing out.

"Okay." She says loudly gaining everyones attention. "Anyone who doesn't know anything about healing go eat, Alura, do you mind staying to fetch things for us? I know it's not a glamorous job but it's one that's needed."

"Of course Mistress Baggins. Go on my heart, I'll meet you to dine when we save Mr Boffin." He doesn't want to but he does as he's told.

* * *

It takes two hours to stabilize him, two hours and the combined efforts of all four lady hobbits. Fiona manages to find the herbs she needs and mixes them into pastes at the end of the table, Marigold manages to clean out a nasty infection that Bilba hadn't even noticed, Alura was endlessly helpful from running around finding them the tools they needed to helping Bell find everything to make a second stew (the first had run out, Bilba is going to need to make hunting equipment sooner than she thought) and Bilba's healing knowledge she got from Oin was in fact useful since she did end up needing to stitch both his arm and side.

Clovis and Omer (trying to show Alura that she mattered more than a rivalry) carried him to the master bedroom, Fatima hadn't wanted to sleep there for respect of her parents but Bilba pointed out that he needed room and it was the biggest bed in the whole smial. The Proudfoot sisters pratingly dragged her to the kitchen when they heard from Kayla that she hadn't eaten yet.

One by one they went to bed in the spare rooms and once again Bilba was left alone. She was more than dead tiered but now but she still had things to do. She gets the leg bones out of the first stew pot and is glad to see that they are clear of meat, she drops them into the sink then gets the bread knife and drags the now empty pot to the carcass.

She cuts through the spine then saws off the connecting ribs and drops them in the pot, she needs a second pot so to save time she fills her current one with snow and sticks it on the stove to cook then gets the next pot and starts again. When they are both on the stove she drags the table into an unused room and then puts her four ropes on it. It's too stained to be saved so she may as well keep using it for skinning things she's hunted.

While she waits for her new bones to boil clean she starts making the pie fillings, strawberry isn't going to cut it anymore with the amount of hobbits now in her smial so she gathers all of her fruit and starts chopping.

By the time the pie fillings need to go on the stove the bones need to come off, she almost burns herself several times during the trade but she manages. The bones go to the side for the broth to cool and her almost forgotten pie crusts go in the oven.

She washes and dries the bones in the sink then places them in a basket. She's falling asleep on her feet, she's almost there. Just a little more.

Pie crust and filling are done cooking so she spoons them up and puts them along the kitchen table. The new bones are fished out of the cold broth and put in the sink, the pots are put on the cooling stove for first breakfast.

She washes and dries these bones too before adding them to her basket. She writes a note saying not to touch the pies and then takes her bones back to her room. She places them next to her dresser then falls into her bed and passes out.

* * *

When Bilba wakes next it's to the smell cooking meat, she's entirely confused as to why she would smell that when she was dead... because she's not! She pratingly jumps out of bed and stumbles because she's so much shorter than she remembers.

It's real, all of it's real. She killed Azog's warg and saved a mother of three and dragged all of her renters into her smial to keep them from being eaten and... and failed to save her parents a second time.

The pain in her chest is stabbing, now that she's got a moment to breath everything comes crashing down. Why did she do this? Why didn't she go with Fili? Why was she such a failure that she couldn't save her parents even with the forewarning? Was she going to be forced to watch her heart die again? Why? Why? WHY?!

The door opens and she looks up, Kayla looks at her as she cries then strides over and pulls her into a hug. All the walls Bilba built crash to the ground because this is the first hug she's had in years. She clings and wails like a baby faun but can't bring herself to care. She's stuck here and her heart is so very far away.

She doesn't know how long they sit there but when her tears no longer come Kayla wipes her face and presses an [dress](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/410460953538415533/) into her hands.

"Take your time Mistress Baggins, you are allowed to mourn as much as the rest of us. None here will judge you." Kayla says then leaves, it almost sends her into another crying fit but she stops herself. No more tears, she's a respectable lady hobbit with things to do.

* * *

She walks into silence, it is clear that they heard her and don't want to set her off again but the silence is annoying. Fili and Kili always had something to say, never a dull moment. Neither a quiet one. She's not used to silence anymore.

"The wolves and orcs will be back." She says making several of them flinch. "They think us weak prey and they are just as starved from this winter as us."

"And how are we to stop them?! We aren't fighters!" Miss Leafwalker cries out as she hugs her fauns Alyssa and Grace who are both quite a bit older than Bilba but not yet seen as adults. They both look highly annoyed at their mothers babying.

"I will stop them, all I need is for you to not get in my way. Does anyone here have carving skills? I have need of a whittler as well if that is a skill any of you hold."

"We can do that!" Alyssa says before her mother can stop her. "I'm quite good at whittling while Grace is exceptional at Carving. What do you need?" Grace blushes but nods along.

"Alyssa! You cannot just..." Miss Leafwalker starts, Bilba cuts her off.

"I need a bow and arrow shafts from the carving, the bow needs to be able to bend. For the whittling I have a bunch of bones I need turned into as many arrow heads as possible."

"Absolutely No..." Miss Leafwalker start only to be cut off again, this time by Alyssa.

"Of course Mistress Baggings, we shall get started right away." Alyssa says then grabs Grace's hand and rushes off, Miss Leafwalker rushes after them shouting her displeasure.

"Miss Longriver, if I gave you some thin fabric would you be able to make it resemble feathers?" 

"I am the best tailor in the Shire for a reason Mistress Baggins, I assume it's the pile of thin fabrics in the room with the main fireplace."

"You are correct, thank you. Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" No one says anything so Bilba nods. "Then I'm going to continue tanning my warg hide, come and find me if you need me."

* * *

Fili is sitting by himself, he has been since his one had started crying. He had done this, he knows he could have convinced her to get on the boat. All he would have had to do was ask her to and he knew she would but he was selfish, he wanted with all his heart to hear the little pitter patter of pebbles feet. To have tiny hands pulling at his beard and to watch his one smile brightly at him covered in all the riches being a queen of Erebor would have brought her.

He had let her hope feed into his own, let himself get greedy with it. So much so that he forgot how much this would hurt her, being so young with a mind so old. Having to re-meet everyone all over again, to re-meet him all over again. 

And now she has cried tears of regret and pain because he let the greed his family is poisoned with get to him. If he could he would...

"She will make a good queen." Uncle Thorin says as he sits next to him. Fili blinks in confusion. "You missed it though I do not blame you, your father could never sit through your mothers tears either. The first thing your one did after she dried her tears is start the beginnings of a war counsel, something I'm not so surprised about not that I know what her true title is."

"What are you talking about uncle?" He asks, sitting straiter. His one was building a war counsel?

"Young Frodo explained that Bilba was favored granddaughter to the Thain. Trust me, we were all as confused as you are now nephew until be gave us an example."

"What was it?" Fili is curious now, uncle Thorin always knew how to draw he and Kili in with his words.

"He said that you are the favored nephew to your Thain."

Fili blinks once then twice before his brain catches up, Fili was the crown prince. Thorin's heir. "Please uncle, please tell me that we did not help Tharkûn kidnap a crown princess!" Uncle Thorin looks just as angry about it as him. 

They had not only helped in the kidnap of a crown princess but they had made her sign a contract to be a _**burglar!** _The insult! It is a wonder that she didn't have them exiled from her kingdom for even suggesting such a thing. Not only that but he had **thrown around her over 100 year old china like a fool.** A single crack could have had the whole party executed and no one would even blame her.

"I know, Fili. I know." Fili looks to his uncle aghast. 

"How did we ever **leave** those hills with our heads?!"

"I am not sure myself, I have decided not to dwell on it. All I can say is that Tharkûn is lucky he will never enter these halls." Fili nods because his anger towards the wizard for the slights he caused Fili to commit against his one by lack of information will never be forgiven. "Come Fili, let us watch your one make warriors of hobbits."

* * *

Bilba spends the week waiting for the bow (minus the bowstring, she doesn't know how she's going to do that yet), arrow shafts and arrow heads washing the salt off of her warg hide, applying tanning herbs to it then breaking the leather. She's quite happy to say that she gets everything all at once and just on time because that night the wolves return.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	4. Chapter 4

"These are beautifully crafted." Bilba says as she balances an arrow on her finger (Something Kili had taught her when he was teaching her to use his bow), it stayed balanced. She looks to the three lady hobbits who had presented her with the arrows (72), bow (with a bowstring because Kayla had somehow figured it out) and a bone sword made out of one of the leg bones. "How much do I owe you?" She asks because a lot of work went into these so she's willing to let them set the price. 

"My fauns are alive because of you, you owe me nothing." Kayla says blandly before leaving the room.

" _Wow. I've never seen anyone with heart sickness before. It's really sad._ " Alyssa whispers, Grace nods next to her.

"I will pay her later." Bilba says because she knows what it's like to have others whispering in pity behind her back, she's not going to let it happen to Kayla in her own smial. "Back to the matter at hand, payment. The craftsmanship of these arrows are worth at least three gold coins per."

The Leafwalker sisters look at each other then Alyssa gets up and shuts the rooms door, Bilba puts the arrow down and focuses all her attention on them. "... We want you to sponsor us." Alyssa says.

Bilba's eyebrows climb to her hairline. "You want me to... sponsor you? Why?"

"Because you understand what it's like to have a heart song who belongs to another kingdom!" Alyssa cries with tears gathering in her eyes.

Bilba feels her heart stop for a second. "How exactly did you find that out?" She asks in a deceptively calm voice.

"W...well you want to fight and you know dwarven healing and you know how to hunt...." Alyssa mumbles... She wasn't wrong, Bilba had really shown her hand hadn't she. "You also did the arrow thing, the balancing. We used to spy on travelers to see if we could catch our hearts, we've only seen a dwarf do it that way."

"Okay, fine. There is a strong case that my heart is a dwarf but I've not met them yet so it's not certain. I suppose you believe your hearts aren't hobbits with a declaration like that."

"Elves we think, it's why we need a sponsor. Mother has threatened to disown us if we go looking, she's trying to set up an arranged marriage." Alyssa hisses angrily. 

"She would **dare?!** " Bilba hisses herself, Grace nods sadly. "I will but you must be able to pass the sponsorship test by the time the snow melts, both of you."

"We can do it now." Alyssa assures Bilba, Grace nods along. "Kayla said that the warg head hanging from your front door was a warning, that you told her that. You lied to her, to any other family it would be true but not to a Baggins. To a Baggins the act of mounting the head of an enemy on their door is a declaration of war." Alyssa says with confidence and Bilba blinks in shock, the knowledge of a families war messages where highly secret. Not even mother would have known what the warg head meant.

" _The reason you had weapons made out of the wargs bones was because it is the war declaration of the Took. The act of killing your enemies with the bones of their comrades._ " Grace whispers. It's the first time Bilba has ever heard Grace speak, in both of her lives.

"... Well done girls, follow me." She leads them to her fathers (her's now) office and writes up two sponsor contracts. An hour later she places her forehead against Alyssa Leafwalker-Baggins and Grace Leafwalker-Took's.

* * *

She served the pies up to celebrate, when Miss Leafwalker found out why they were celebrating she turned an ugly shade of red and stormed off. Mr Leafwalker hugged both of his fauns and told them he was proud then followed after his heart.

After the improv party she started shaping her warg pelt with Kayla's help (Kayla took over as soon as she walked into the room and Bilba was left to take care of the triples.). In the end Bilba has a beautiful [cloak](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/497999671301564240/) that was pinned to her length so that it could be made longer as she grows and a quiver for her arrows. Kayla refuses to let Bilba pay her for this until Bilba tells her that it would be good to start saving for the triplets.

The joy rippling around her smial lasts until night falls when they are interrupted by the howl of wolves, everyone looks at her in horror. She supposes that they didn't believe her when she told them that the wolves would be back. Bilba wastes not time in donning her warg fur cloak and her weapons before darting out into the snowy night.

* * *

Bilba had a plan when she stepped out of her smial. She truly did, she swears on Yavanna and everything. She was going to use her skills as a burglar to silantly track the wolf pack then pick them off safely from a distance like her dwarves taught her. She had even managed do the silent tracking part, it was all going so well up until she saw one of the massive wolves shoving open her Aunt Jasmine's door open. Jasmine Took who had lost her heart Willichar Took, her blood uncle, to old age a week before the fell winter, Jasmine Took who was suffering from heart sickness. Jasmine Took who had very likely left her door unlocked so that the wolves would go for her instead of anyone else.

Bilba is both proud and a tad embarrassed to say that her reaction was entirely Took. " **HEY!** " The wolves stopped in their tracks and turned towards her, eight pares of glowing yellow eyes locked on her own blue ones. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size!" The wolves snarled and started stalking towards her, all but one. The wolf at her aunts door turned from her and back towards her aunt Jasmine's smial.

Bilba lifted up her bow, took aim at the straggler and fired.

* * *

Fili jumped to his feet in shock and horror. "No! No no no nononoononono!" He cried out as all seven wolves leapt at her as her arrow went right through the eighths head. 

Was she insane! Seven against one! He knows that she took on more at the battle of the five armies but that had been a long time ago and she was so small now! Father and Great Grandfather had to hold him back from lunging at the screen. His one was in danger! He couldn't just stay here, he had to help her!

"Fili!"

He would not lose her again! He refused to. He was Fili of the line of Durin! 

"FILI!"

He was crown prince of Erebor and... there were hands on his face. He blinks and finally sees his mother, she stands before him with soft eyes.

"Back with us my son?" She asks like he didn't just fall into bloodlust.

"Bilba..." He manages to say and her smile grows in affection.

"She seems to be handling her own my son, look." He follows his mothers eyes just in time to see his one skidding under a leaping wolf and firing an arrow right into its heart as it sailed past. She rights herself and he sees three more fallen wolves behind her. His mother was right, she one was fine. He actually felt bad for doubting her capabilities. She notches another arrow and his heart settles. 

She was fine.

* * *

Bilba wasn't fine. Sure, she was five wolves down but that didn't mean that she wasn't worried. Bilba had forgotten that being a child meant that she had a child's stamina. Her body wasn't used to using a bow nor having to dodge so fast, her last kill had been all luck and one didn't hope to survive a battle solely on luck.

It seemed that her lucky streak wasn't over because just before the three remaining wolves got ready to attack her aunt Jasmine appears in her doorway and smashes two pans together. The resalting clash echoed throughout the shire, the wolves turned and Bilba took her chance. She shot the arrow she had notched into one then dropped her bow and grabbed her sword. She twirled out of the seconds way then stabbed it's side and let the wolves momentum do the work. The third was kept from attacking by a flying pan to the back of the head, Bilba takes a running leap when it turns and drives her sword right through the top of its skull.

She pulls her sword free and slings her bow over her shoulder before turning towards her aunt. "Thank you for the help auntie Jasmine. I know you have heart sickness but being ripped apart is a horrible way to join your heart."

Her aunt watches her with a calculating eye. "... how old are you my niece?" She finally says.

"A bit older than you auntie Jasmine. Do you feel up to helping me bring these back to Bag end?" She sees no reason to hide her secret, even without heart sickness and the uncaring it brought aunt Jasmine was always good at keeping secrets.

"... Let me get my coat." aunt Jasmine says before disappearing into her smial, Bilba collects her arrows while she waits. "Let's be off then, we have quite the trek to make and you owe your favorite aunt one last story. It may stop your mother from beating me to a second death for letting you fight those wolves all by yourself."

Bilba looks up and feels a stab of sadness at the sight of the large pack on her aunts shoulders, Bilba would bet all her money and land on the contents being all the food in her aunts smial. "Well, the story starts on a midsummers day with a young lady hobbit's smoking break being interrupted by an odd man dressed in all grey..."

* * *

Bilba had only just gotten to her dwarrows reaction to the last homely house when they arrived at her smial. Bell was waiting worriedly at the door and cried when she saw Bilba, the fauns where all in bed so she didn't have to worry about scarring them with the large wolf. Clovis helped her carry it into the back room while aunt Jasmine gave her pack to Bell to put away. When Bilba and Clovis returned to the front door all the adult farmers minus Bell and plus Kayla were waiting with her aunt.

They came with her to get the rest of the wolves which meant that they only needed to take one trip.

"Stay the night niece." Aunt Jasmine said as the others picked up the wolves.

Before Bilba could answer Kayla spoke. "Stay Mistress Baggins, I'll collect you in the morning."

"... Okay, leave the wolves in the back room. It's cool enough to keep them, I'll deal with them tomorrow." She says as she lets aunt Jasmine weakly pull her into the smial.

Aunt Jasmine leads Bilba to her room then tries to take her coat off, Bilba has to help her and it's then that she realizes what's happening. Her aunt is going to be in Yavanna's garden come morning. Damn it!

"Come my little niece, you have a story to finish. I will not miss the end now, even if my heart stops I will not depart for the great gardens until you have finished. I promise you."

"... The king under the mountain looked as if he had eaten some of cousin Delaney's horrid rabbit pie when he realized that Gandalf had tricked him into the home of the dwarrows main enemy...."

* * *

Kayla comes the next morning as promised, she brings a shovel.

"You knew." Bilba rasps as she opens the front door.

"I did." She says in the bland way she always speaks when she is not pretending for her fauns. Bilba opens the door wider so Kayla can come in. Kayla waits until they are shoveling dirt onto aunt Jasmine's un-breathing chest to speak again. "The young Mr's Gamgee want to help you skin and strip the wolves."

"Do they?" She asks in confusion. "They are only 17 and 15, why would they want to do that?"

Kayla raises an unimpressed eyebrow. "You are only 20. Why do you?" Bilba... Bilba doesn't have a valid response to that. What is she supposed to say? Actually I'm 127 not including the years I watched over my unborn nephew in the in between? She's not going over it all again thank you very much. "Mr Gamgee the elder has agreed but only if he is in the room and you do the first two wolves before they try. The first cut and he'll whisk them away."

"They are his fauns. I agree to his terms, it will go faster with more hands."

The silence stretches until they are half way to Bag End. "May I request the wolf pelts once you are done tanning them Mistress Baggins? I have an idea for a few winter outfits, if you do not have plans for them of course."

"You may Miss Longriver, I have no plans for them."

"Thank you Mistress Baggins, I shall make sure they are of high quality." Kayla says as she opens the door to her smial.

"I know you will." She says before a teasing tone enters her voice. "You **are** the best tailer in the Shire after all." She's quite proud of the flicker of amusement that lights Kayla's eyes for a moment. 

"Mistress Baggins! Welcome back!" Cottar and Crassus say as they bow to her, they are really trying to get on her good side. It's amusing.

"None of that Mr's Gamgee, I have already agreed." 

They both straiten out with mischievous smiles while Clovis stands behind them looking resigned. "Wicked!" They shout and almost drag her strait to the back room until Bell lifts her right out of their hold (She feels like a baby faun! So embarrassing!) and reminds them that she hasn't eaten yet. They sit across from her vibrating in their chairs while they watch her eat like one of Gandalf's giant eagles and the moment she puts her fork down they are dragging her again while Bell shouts about manners behind her.

This is going to be a long day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, so the first thing we need to do is test the ropes." Bilba says as she pulls the four bundles of slightly stained rope off of the stained table. After this she'll attempt to clean them, if it doesn't work then she'll toss them in the fire. It's no big loss, she has lots of spare fabric after all. "Would you be willing to help with this Mr Gamgee?" She asks Clovis.

He smiles kindly at her and takes one of the ropes. "Of course Mistress Baggins." He tests each one then hands them to his fauns who are still somehow vibrating, how they had so much energy is beyond her. "I believe they will hold Mistress Baggins."

"Good now, two ropes need to go back on the table." She waits for Cottar and Crassus to comply. "The ropes you're now holding need to be tied to opposite walls at chest hight, they must just reach the table. Only just." Cottar and Crassus take a few minutes finding the right stop to tie their ropes. She is quite glad she didn't have to do it herself, it was a nightmare last time. "Good, now give them a good tug to make sure your knots won't come loose." They follow her instructions and smile brightly when their knots hold. She turns to Clovis. "I don't mean to be a bother but could you help again by tossing these ropes over the banister and maybe helping hoist the wolves when I've tied them up?"

"I'd be happy to Mistress Baggins, you're much to small to be doing it yourself." Ow, that hurt her pride. His words **and** the fact that he managed to get the ropes over the banister on his first try. It took her ages, it wasn't fair.

She brings the three Gamgee's over to the pile of wolves. "Now you must cut the back legs like so." She demonstrates on the wolf on top of the pile, Crassus starts to look sick at the first cut. "After that we bring it to the table and tie the ceiling ropes through the cuts." Crassus goes white then taps out, Bell comes and gets him with promises to let him help her cook instead. Cottar however looks the most interested she's ever seen him, she might have just gained a butcher partner. She ties the first leg to show him how to do it then lets him do the other, they test their knots (something she admits she didn't do when tying up the warg). Clovis hoists the wolf up and ties it off. "Now we need to cut the front legs like so."

* * *

Fili wishes he could hear the words leaving his ones lips, echoes of lessons he himself had given her in the wood. But he can't hear a thing, why? Well because of...

".... DARE YOU TREAT MY SONS ONE LIKE THAT! SHE HAD EVERY REASON TO DO THAT YOU BLOODY FOOL!"

That. The screaming match behind him.

"I ONLY SAID THOSE THINGS BECAUSE I THOUGHT HER AN OATH BREAKER! THE BLASTED WIZARD ASURED ME THAT SHE HAD AGREED TO GO ON OUR QUEST!"

The fact that they were screaming wasn't the worst part, it was who was screaming.

"YOU WOULD DARE CALL MY SONS ONE A LIER! YOU DARE INSULT MY BLOOD SO?!" Where the roared words of his father. Usually his father was the calming presence and his mother was the one yelling her displeasure, Fili had only seen them swap roles once before and he was eternally scarred by it.

"I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS FILI'S ONE, IF I HAD I WOULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN HER ON THAT BLASTED QUEST IN THE FIRST PLACE! SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAND DELIVERED TO DIS TO KEEP HER SAFE!" Uncle Thorin yells back, Fili sighs and tries to concentrate on his one. 

"Are you calling her incapable? Was she not the one who saved your life when you recklessly threw it and my sons away to fight an orc brother?" His mothers deadly calm voice cuts through the fighting. Just great, he's never going to hear his ones voice again.

"Now sister..."

"Calm my one..."

"Calm? You want me to CALM?!" 

* * *

Cottar, it turns out, is a natural which is great. He watches as she goes through the motions on the first two wolves with keen eyes, he only needs help with two before he's shakily doing the third by himself (it had taken her at least five together with Fili or Kili before she was confident in doing it herself). And he is confident in his skill by the time he's chopping up the last wolf, Clovis is extremely proud even if he doesn't get it. The Gamgee's had always been farmers and gardeners, Cottar being a good butcher was new. A good new by the look of happiness shared between them.

While Cottar is working and Clovis is supervising him she salts the wolf hides, she's exited to see what Kayla has come up with.

It takes a week for them to finish off the warg meat and start on the wolf meat. Everyone (those not sulking like Miss Leafwalker) complement him on the cuts of meat he managed to harvest which makes him smile and blush every time. It's very sweet if she does says so. The winter outfits that Kayla makes are wonderful thou her [favorite](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/183521753551270678/) by far is the one that reminds her of what Fili had turned up at her door in all those years ago.

* * *

The weeks drag on and everyone tries to keep busy but it's hard to be stuck in a smial with practical strangers. 

Omer and Radegund fight constantly almost as soon as Radegund wakes up. Fatima has entered the part of her pregnancy where certain smells cause her to puke. Fiona and Bell fight over herbs. Marigold dislikes Omer which causes a rift with her and Alura. Leuthard and Nob are still annoyed about having to share a smial with farmers. Rowan refuses to talk to Alyssa and Grace because they refuse to be sold to the richest hobbit. The triplets have started waking up in the middle of the night. The only ones not causing problems are the fauns, Clovis, Ansegar and his husband Fardulf.

The start of spring makes everyone sigh in relief.

As soon as the snow thins Leuthard and Nob take their families and leave. Rowan leaves shortly after, making sure to tell Alyssa and Grace that they weren't welcome. Cow. Fatima and Radegund as well as Ansegar and Fardulf are also quick to leave and assess the damage done to their farms. Omer as well as the Gamgee's wait until a few days later when the ice covering the river starts to break. The Gamgee's all hug her and promise her a room should she need it while Omer sets a date with Alura to go out for tea so that they can plan their wedding (they are hoping for an autumn wedding since her birthday was in spring and his was in summer. That way they would have something to celebrate every season.)

Kayla doesn't leave until she's sure that Alyssa and Grace will be staying at Bag End until they become of age and go off to find their hearts. They promised and Kayla left with the same air of blandness she entered Bilba's smial with.

The beginning of spring is truly a blessing but nothing only good happens to Bilba because while the melting snow means that it's safe for others to leave it also means that it's safe for others to come visit. Namely her grandfather and grandmother who wish to check up on her and her parents.

* * *

Bilba busies herself with serving her grandparents tea in the deafening silence. They hadn't said a word since she told them of what happened to her parents. Alyssa and Grace had run off somewhere at the sight of the Thain crying so it was just them and her. It takes a lot longer than she'd like for him to speak but she couldn't fill the silence first, he was the Thain so he was always the first to speak in a conversation.

"Two of my children gone... two." He says gruffly, his voice scratchy from his tears.

"I know Grandfather, I'm sorry for your losses." She says softly her grandmothers eyes widen in horrified sadness.

"You know?! Oh Bilba." Her soft voice carries around the room.

"I stayed with auntie Jasmine until she joined uncle Willichar in the great gardens. Miss Longriver helped be bury her next to him."

" _Oh Bliba!_ " Her grandmother says in pain and gathers her into a hug. "My strong little daughters daughter. I am so sorry you had to go through that! And to be alone in this big place the whole winter!"

Bilba goes to correct her but her grandfather cuts her off. "Your cousin Otto has asked for your hand when you come of age, he has stated that he is willing to look after you until that time if needed. I was reluctant to accept but now I do not think I have a choice. I will not leave you here alone." Bilba blinks a few times, she'd... she'd forgotten about this, about the year she had been forced to be Otto Baggins intended. A year of her life where she was so miserable that she ended up running away, getting as far as bree before the rangers brought her back.

Her Took side rears it's head before she has a chance to think. "No." Both her grandparents freeze.

"No." Her grandfather slowly repeats. 

Nothing for it now she supposes so she juts out her chin in challenge making her grandmother let her go in shock. "That is what I said O'Thain of the Shire. I will not marry cousin Otto nor will I live with him. I refuse."

"I will give you one chance to take back your words Bilba because I know you are grieving. One."

"I will not! I refuse to marry a hobbit more than twice my age. I will not give up the home my **father** dug out with his **bare hands**. And I am not alone! I have the sisters I'm currently sponsoring, a job I will not be pushing off on anyone else thank you very much!" She doesn't mind running again but she won't play along with her cousins games of power while she knows the name and face of her heart.

"...You're sponsoring someone?! When?! How?!" Her grandmother gasps in shock so Bilba gets the copies of the sponsor contracts and hands them over. Her grandmother reads them over before shooting her a disbelieving look. "These are dated for the beginning of the winter. How ever did you get to them to get this signed?"

"I didn't go to them Grandmother, after mother, father and Mr Longriver's deaths I decided to protect the hobbits renting off of me. I brought them and their families here, they all stayed here the whole winter. I was never alone."

"And now?" Her grandfather challenges.

"Alyssa and Grace are going to continue to stay with me." 

The silence stretches for enough time that Bilba grows slightly uncomfortable. "...Fine but we will be checking in on you every month."

"I will agree to this."  


* * *

Bilba is able to stay in the Shire for a week after her grandparents leave but then decided that she needs new... everything so she dresses in a simple travel [outfit](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/270356783870453445/) and packs a weeks worth of supplies. She hugs both Alyssa and Grace then heads towards the direction her dwarrow had first come from. 

She remembers hearing that Thorin was a very good blacksmith and she was in need of new kitchenware.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	6. Chapter 6

So walking in a random direction in hopes of finding her dwarrow early may not have been the best plan. Bilba will happily admit that, she had been dreadfully like her Took cousins since she got back with no trace of Baggins to be seen! Sure she had greeted her guests with a warm meal as was expected when bringing over company and she had let Kayla dress her up like a proper lady hobbit but she had also made her guests pull their weight while they stayed. She had openly had weapons made, became a sponsor just to spite the girls mother and ruined good furniture for the sake of fire wood. Not proper at all, her father would have boxed her ears ages ago.

Back to the matter at hand, Bilba really should have known better than to travel an unfamiliar road all alone. "Give us all your money kid and we won't hurt ya." The ruff looking man said with a smirk, he and his four friends were blocking her path.

"I shall think not! How am I to buy new kitchenware with no coin?" She says with a huff, honestly! She's clearly armed and they hadn't even asked her to give the weapons up, big folk make terrible thief's.

"I'm not ask'n ya again brat, give us everything!"

"Well I never! You are quite rude sir, I hope your mother never hears of this." Sometimes Bilba wishes she had a switch that turned off her Took blood, it would save her so much trouble.

The man snarls at her and pulls his sword, 'it's old' a voice that sounds exactly like Fili says in her mind. 'blunt too and not very well made. A good strike in the middle might snap it in half.' She pulls her own out in response. She knows that she should run, even now she has lingering affects of battle sickness. She had thought that it would leave like her heart sickness did but it apparently did not. Fun. The man charges, for a second her minds eye turns him into a towering orc. She shoves the image away and twists out of his blades way, she slashes his back before blocking a blow from one of his friends.

Five against one is never a good odd for the one, she may be the last one standing by the end of the frantic fight but she bleeds heavily from her side and the slash to her thigh makes walking hard. It's all terribly bothersome. She loots their bodies in revenge, well, she tries to. Not only have they damaged her but all they have on them are their badly made weapons. Now she's just annoyed.

Curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to follow their tracks, they must have **something**. She find a trader van with the horses still attached, perfect. She hobbles over and looks at the stolen wares, she's happy to find a metal pot amongst the tousled fabrics. She weakly starts a fire and after feeding the horses some berries she strips to her undergarments then shoves the pot into the fire. When the metal radiates heat she puts a thick branch into her mouth, she uses water from her canteen to clean the deep cut on her side then holds the scolding pot over it. She takes a deep breath then brings it down, her scream echoing in the empty woods. It is either less painful to do the slash on her thigh or she's too light headed to notice. Her grandparents are going to kill her then find a way to bring her back to life so the can chain her up in cousin Otto's smial until she's as old as them.

She stumbles and she redresses, making sure to keep her new burns uncovered then passes out in the trader van.

* * *

It takes two days to fight through the pain enough for her to climb into the front of the trader van so that she can direct the horses. She'd dirty and going towards the unknown but to spite everything her heart beats in excitement, she never knew that she would miss travailing like this but she really really did. Which is good she supposes since she still needs to make the journey to Erebor and then to Mordor.

It takes her a further two days to come upon a town, Norwich if the sign is to be believed. It's quite homely and filled completely with big folk.

"My trader van!" A male voice cries in shock, a tall lanky man pushes through the crowds as she stops the horses. "Where did you find it child? How did you even find it? Where are your parents?"

"I found it in the woods after some robbers tried to rob me. I'm not sure if it's all there." She says as she hands over the rains and hops down with her pack. "Would you be able to point me to an inn and the local blacksmith if you have one?" She asks completely ignoring his questions about her parentage.

"Umm, yes! We have a blacksmith young one. The inn is just down the road here, The Ethereal Tulip. The blacksmith's further down, Ingot This. You can't miss them but maybe you should wait for your parents?"

"I'm fine, thank you for pointing them out sir." She says somewhat shortly then adds, because she knows men age faster that hobbits and dwarrow. "And I'll have you know that I'm 20 years of age." The man splutters out apologizes and she waves them off. "Don't worry, big folk do it all the time. I'm used to it. Thank you for your help." He looks worse at the news that he'd fallen into a common trap, she feels slight bad because she **is** a faun but she's too tired to deal with fussing. It's already taking everything in her to not limp as she walks.

The Ethereal Tulip was... not the worst place Bilba had ever slept. The floor was a tad sticky and so were the tables, the chairs looked like they were about to fall over as well but she had little choice so she just took a deep breath and walked to the bar.

"Excuse me, I would like to rent a room for a few days. How much would that cost?" The barkeep looked at her with annoyance.

"And what would a little lass such as yourself need with a room?"

Her eyes narrow. "I place to change for one. I have things to do and I refuse to do so covered in dirt and blood. A place to sleep as well and yes, I do not care that the bed will be made for big folk. It matters little to me so long as it's somewhere to lay my head." She says with a slight angry hiss. "And no, I am not a child so do not even ask."

The mans annoyance lifts. "Sorry 'bout that lass, lots of kids try an hide here from their mothers. I hav' a room for you, two gold coins per night. You pay it each morning before you leave and you tell me when you leave."

"Of course, here." She hands him the coins and he hands her a key.

"Second door on the left up those stairs." He points at the stairs at the opposite wall to the bar. She nods politely and heads up.

* * *

The room is nicer than the bar which is a pleasant surprise, she sets her pack down and slowly gets [changed](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/846184217477689181/). Her burns are scabbing currently and every time she moves they pull and bleed weakly so she has to wrap them up which means that there is fabric touching them. This as you could guess makes the pain flare. It is an unkind circle but she has no choice.

The first thing she does is look for a stable (something she forgot to ask for in her haste to find a safe place to change), she passes Ingot This as she goes and her heart leaps into her chest when she sees Thorin entering the back. She's found him! King of Erebor! It took her channeling all of her Baggins side to stop her from running up and hugging the king. Seeing him makes her realize how much she misses him, the ache starting in her heart and spreading with every pump of her blood. She can see him later she reasons, she needs to make sure she can get her new kitchenware back first.

The Melody Range is small but cute and has several ponies for her to choose from, the owners are actually quite glad to sell one to her for 7 gold coins and even promise to keep the pony for her until she leaves. She chooses [Tina](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/725009240010424224/) who is cute as a button.

Every step towards the blacksmiths makes her heart beat louder. She's about to be reunited with her first dwarf.

* * *

She doesn't end up meeting Thorin much to her secret displeasure. She is met by jolly Tor who smiles brightly at her when she asks about pots and pans then hands her a pamphlet. She is confused but goes with it, Thorin was a very grumpy person so he might just not want to be out of the back. This is fine, completely fine. (It's not, it feels like her path is narrowing and soon the only way she'll be able to go is to the death of the Durin line.). She sits in the chair provided even when it makes her burns scream and flicks through the pamphlet... this can't be right. The prices are much to low for dwarven forged pieces and she knows that the sketches were made by Thorin, she recognizes they way his calk lines shift. This should be much higher unless he was using subpar materials but she knows that isn't the case. Thorin was proud of his craft, he would never settle. Her eyes skim it again in suspicion then widen when she sees the line on the back. She gets up (Ow, ow, owowowow!) and goes back to Tor.

"Hi, I have a small question Mr Tor. It says here that that for an extra few pieces of gold I can have designs inscribed into what I'm buying." She says.

"Yes, that is true." He says back cheerily.

"How big?"

"The whole thing can be covered if you wish it little lass." 

Her eyes grow wide. "For three extra coins?!" Something was wrong, really wrong. These were dwarven forged pieces made by a king! None of this should be so cheep.

"Yup, a good deal if you ask me. What are you after?"

"All of it." She states making Tor choke on his own spit, her sensitive ears pick up a small thump from the door connecting the front of the shop to the blacksmith. Thorin was listening, she would have to be carful with how she worded the request for the designs she wants inscribed.

"You...want it all?" Tor asks after he catches his breath.

"Yes, everything in the kitchen pamphlet you gave me." 

"And you want designs on all of them?" He asks again.

"Yes, covering if you could but I understand if you can't."

"Right, okay. Let me just right that down. One.... Of.... Everything.... In.... The.... Kitchen.... Pamphlet... Done! Now, what was the design you were thinking of and is it going to be the same for everything or not?"

"The same." She waits for him to jot it down, should she do what she's about to do? How would Thorin take it? Was it to late to run away? No, he could be angry with her all he wants but she needed this. She missed Fili more than she needed air, having a constant reminder of what she was aiming for would help. "Erebor. I want the design to be Erebor if you can." She hears Thorin suck in a deep hissed breath behind the door.

"Erebor?"

"Yes, I... do you know anything about hobbits Tor?" Tor shakes his head and she takes a deep breath before she continues. "Hobbits are born connected to another, the one we are meant to spend our lives with. We call them our hearts because, well, that is what they are." She explains softly. Time to see if her acting was up to snuff after all of these years. "When I was a small little thing I was running around the forests near my home and I stumbled upon my heart, I didn't get to see them properly because their back was turned to me but an older member of their family was telling them about their home Erebor." The words flow from her lips with little connection to her, like someone else was writing the story she was speaking. "The story was so captivating that I dared not interrupt it and by the time it was done I had fallen asleep. I woke in my bed as my parents had found me and brought me home, I spent weeks searching the forest but my heart was gone. I may never see them again but maybe if I have a little of Erebor it might draw them to me." She finishes then looks away so she can wipe away her very real tears. "It's silly, I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No! No, it's fine. I'll get it done. That will be 323 gold coins and 27 silver coins." She hands over 324 gold coins and refuses the change. "It will be ready at the end of the week. I hope you find your heart little lass."

"Thank you." She says softly then leaves, she waits outside for half an hour but Thorin doesn't come out so she just makes her way back to her room to pass out.

* * *

She spends the week leading up to her new kitchenware in the room she rented healing as best she could, she would go down and pay for the room as well as to eat but that was it. The day she was to collect everything she was practically vibrating, she couldn't wait to see what Thorin would do. Would it just be the outside or would he carve out the Intricate tunnels and extravagant halls? She would have skipped down the hall if not for the pain she was in (more dull than before but still there) and paid the barkeep. 

"Today will be my last day sir, I'll be back to collect my stuff later on but the room will be free for you to rent again tomorrow." She says to him before paying for a small breakfast.

"Good, I wouldn't mind renting to you again if you're in the area." She smiles up at him making him huff and walk away.

She eats her food almost too quickly and almost chokes, what a silly way to die when she was so close. When she's done she waves at the barkeep and heads off, she goes to collect Tina first as she'll need something to carry all the pots and pans then she heads to the blacksmiths. Tor is there again when she enters. She was really hoping that it would be Thorin but beggars can't be choosers.

"Little lass, I have your order right here." He starts lifting things onto the counter and her breath catches. It's both, Thorin had carved both the inside and outside of Erebor. Her fingers slip over the main throne hall as tears stream down her face. It looks exactly like she remembers it. "I take it you approve." Tor says as he puts the last of it on the counter.

"They're perfect. Please, please tell the blacksmith that I said thank you." She says softly, Thorin can ignore her if he wants but he didn't have to go into such detail and he did so she'll give him the praise due.

"Well you're looking at him so your welcome." Tor says with pride and Bilba's heart stops... what did he just say?! Did he... did he just claim Thorin's work as his own?! She can hear that Thorin is at the door, why isn't he storming in? This was an insult! This was theft! The company had told her of the importance of one's craft, it was one of the dwarrows driving forces. Claiming another's craft as your own was a death sentence if you were ever caught.

She comes to a horrible realization, Thorin was letting this happen. He was letting himself and his craft be insulted. His prices were way to low, like he had to put them down so people would buy his work. And worse of all (something that had never occurred to her before she's ashamed to say) was that she knows that he and the dwarrow of Erebor had moved into the already inhabited Blue Mountain. He needed money, so much so that he was willing to humiliate himself to get it. Were his people starving? That wouldn't do at all, Bilba would look into it as soon as she got back. This wouldn't do at all.

"Really?! Well thank you then!" She says with false cheer. "Could you help me pack this all onto my pony?" She asks.

"Certainly little lass, it's the one right outside right?" She nods as Thorin's footfalls fade away, if she strained her ears she could hear the back door opening and closing. "I'll do it, you just sit here for a while." Tor says, still all smug about his theft. She nods and smiles. She waits for him to start shifting things outside to write Thorin a note which she sticks into her coin bag that was still over half way full (She had expected to be made to pay more for dwarven made work). 

**_'Dear Master/Mistress Dwarf,_ **

**_I'm writing you this to let you know that I know you are the one who made these masterpieces. I saw you entering the back of the blacksmith before I came in and made my order Master/Mistress Dwarf (I would have never asked for something so personal to the dwarven race to be made by a man)._ **

**_I had thought that the reason you did not wish to be seen in the shops front was because you preferred to be near the forge. I never once imagined that it was so this spineless thief could insult you and your skill by claiming your work as his own. I had been slightly suspicious at how cheap everything was._ **

**_I'm afraid that this might not be enough for the gifts you have given me with your works but it is all I have left with me._ **

**_May Yavanna bless you with plentiful harvests. (I do not know how to bless a dwarf with your own rites so I shall have to settle for a hobbit blessing and hope it is helpful)_ **

**_The hobbit with the dwarven heart.'_ **

Once Tor has everything outside he starts trying to get it on Tina's back, she must understand that Bilba needs time because she starts making a fuss. Bilba wonders why she ever thought badly about ponies. She slips into the forge and heads right to the spot she knew Thorin would go to first (She had watched him do it enough times in Erebor) and hides the coin pouch then darts back out just as silently. 

* * *

Fili looks at his uncle in horror and sadness. He remembers vaguely seeing his uncle off as he went to find work when what little crops they had in the Ered Luin withered and died, he remembers his mother getting little envelopes with ten coins or so every month and crying. He never really thought about how his uncle got the little bits that he did.

"Thorin..." uncle Frerin says in sorrow.

"Don't brother. It is in the past." uncle Thorin growls as he glares at Tor.

"But..."

"I said it was in the past!"

"Brother..." Mother tried with tears in her eyes, it seems that she remembers too.

"WHAT! What do you want me to say sister! That no one would let me work out of their forge? That the first payment I sent you was the gold coins I took with me for food? That not only did Tor claim my work as his own but charged me so much for use of his forge that I could only spare a few coins a month?!" No one moves then great grandfather comes over and cups Thorin's face.

"I am so sorry that my weakness has hurt you so my grandson, you are a better king than I ever was. I am so proud of you." Fili watches in shock as he sees his uncle Thorin cry for the first time in his life. Kili breaks the moment by launching himself into uncle Thorin's side for a hug, then everyone is joining in.

In the back of his head Fili wonders what affect his one's gift to his uncle will have.

* * *

Alyssa and Grace greet her with bright smiles and make amazed noises as they help her lug all of her new kitchenware into the kitchen. She leaves them to admire as she feeds Tina then locks herself in her office. Somewhere in this large room of files is the answer she's looking for, she feels it in her soul so with her hearts song dancing through her mind she turns to the first pile and starts to search.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	7. Chapter 7

Thorin (the living one) had just had the most emotionally draining week of his life. It had started with a new client.

He never saw her (Tor didn't want him to be seen and Thorin was desperate enough for coin to feed his people that he complied) but he heard her. He liked to listen at the door when he got a chance, most where big folk who needed things fixed but it was still better than sitting in silence with Tor as his only company. She doesn't give her name but Thorin can tell she's a pebble by her voice, what was a pebble doing in a blacksmiths alone? 

He thinks her to be a normal customer in the beginning, one that he does not like with the amount of work she wants. Complete designs on everything! Anything detailed and he may not be leaving the forge at all until she comes to collect. He thinks this until he hears of the design she wants. His breath catches at the all to familiar name, Erebor, the misty mountains. Images of his lost home invade his thoughts, how does she know of Erebor?!

From him he finds out as he listens to her tale. He remembers the event she's talking about though he never knew he had an audience. Dis had still been in morning about the death of her one, Vili, so Thorin had decided to give her time to grieve and had taken Fili and Kili on a long hunting trip. Three months traveling away from Ered Luin and three months traveling back. It had been the end of the first three months and little Kili had wanted to know about where he and Dis where born since they hadn't been born in Ered Luin like Fili and Kili were. Thorin couldn't deny the boy because this was the first time he had spoken since his fathers death. They had headed home the next morning and Thorin finds himself being angry about it, one of his sister-sons had their one meters from them and he'd taken them away.

He must fix this, after everything his sister-sons deserved to have their ones. He gets strait to work, planning to make each piece so detailed that he would be able to spot them a mile away. He doesn't mind that he was giving his work away for a few coins this time because this was a gift to a future princess of Erebor, a little bit of her future home she could have with her until he could get the real one back.

He is right about the amount of work he has with the deadline Tor gave him, he barely has time to eat a sandwich let alone sleep but by the end of the week he is standing proud. That pride dies a little when he hears her thanking Tor, like she thought that Man could ever know anything about a dwarven mountain. He has to leave the forge to stop himself from storming out and correcting her misinformation, it hurts that she will never know who gave her the gifts she will be leaving with.

He lingers outside for an hour or so running through what he knew of the pebble. She was young and a hobbit (whatever creature that was, he'd have to consult Balin when he returned). It was not a lot to go on but it was better than nothing. He re-enters the forge and is about to start getting things ready just incase his work is needed again today but is stopped short. There is a rather large leather pouch hiding under his air pump, he picks it up and his heart skips a few beats at it's weight as well as the sound of clinking coins. He opens it with shaky hands, gold. All of the coins are gold, he goes to a hidden part of the forge and quietly pours the contents out. 647 gold coins and a note. **647 gold coins!** The amount of grain he can buy his people! 

His hands tremble as he opens the note... it is from the little future princess, it settles something in his chest to know that she knew he was the one to make her new kitchen equipment. Not only that but she had parted with all of the gold on her person to try and sooth over a slight that she didn't even commit. He will be happy to have this little hobbit be a part of the line of Durin. He looks at the coins again and makes up his mind.

The amount is to much to safely send by currier so he will take it himself. He gathers up the coins again then walks out the front door, the woman who was about to pay for her fire poker to be fixed freezes at the sight of him, Tor does too which he will admit feels good. He ignores them and buys a pony named Pepper then rides to the Ered Luin. Dis will be very pleased with the news he's sure.

* * *

Alyssa and Grace let her stay locked in the office for two days then they demand to be let in to help. They need to learn these things anyway Alyssa argues as they shove their way in, how could the represent her family if they didn't even know about her businesses? 

In the end it takes them a week to find what she's looking for, not that Alyssa and Grace know exactly what that is really. They just think that she's trying to learn about everything she owns now that she's in charge of it, she doesn't correct them. Grace is the one who finds it, Bilba vaguly hears the questioning noise she makes before paper in Grace's section of the room shuffles faster. It settles and Bilba turns all her attention back into reading the last of her parents wills with a heavy heart. She manages to finish the wills (that she sets aside just in case her grandfather tries to challenge her again, section 17.6 of her fathers will states that Bilba can be named mistress of all her fathers estates at any age if he and her mother die and she knows enough to run the estates. Section 4.5 of her mothers will simply states that no matter the her age she will immediately inherit everything her mother owns. The wording on both is purposeful, like they knew they wouldn't make it to her coming of age and wanted her to be protected.) and start on the next document when Grace lets out a noise of shocked outrage before grabbing the pile of paper into her arms and storming over.

" _You are being shorted!_ " Grace whisper yells though the words carry around the room. " _Men are buying the weeds from our farmers for a few copper and selling it for gold!_ " She shoves the papers at Bilba who immediately puts down the paper in her hands and takes the pile.

She skims through them before turning back to Grace, Alyssa is there now too looking quite proud of how much Grace has said. Her talking being a rarity in itself. "How do you know this?" She asks.

" _I remember hearing some men who bought from mothers stall joking about how much the dwarrow from the blue mountain paid for weeds they bought so cheep they were practically free. Sweet Galenas_ " She didn't continue, she didn't need to. Bilba had remembered how her farmers thought it funny that men would even pay for Sweet Galenas because the only use the plant had was to be an annoyance. If what Grace said was true, and Bilba believed it was since she trusted the faun not to lie to her about something so serious, then Bilba had her in.

"Alyssa, gather everyone. Grace, help me get the food started. Something tells me that this is going to be a long meeting." Both fauns nodded and ran out of the room. Bilba scanned the papers properly before straitening the stack and going to help Grace.

* * *

"We are being taken as fools" She says as soon as everyone sat down, snapping most of them out of the awed looks they were giving her new kitchenware. "We are being cheated by a group of men who think that they are smarter than us. It stops now." All looks being given to her now are extremely serious, the one thing hobbits hated most was being cheated. "Miss Leafwalker-Took has drawn pictures of the men who have slighted us, we stop trading with them immediately." Everyone nodded seriously and took the hand drawn pictures.

"How have they cheated us?" Fiona asks as she looks over the pictures before passing them.

"Miss Leafwalker-Baggins, if you could" Bilba asks, Grace's shoulder relax and she shoots Bilba a grateful look as Alyssa steps forward.

"They have been buying Sweet Galenas off of us for 6 copper coins a pound and then going behind our backs and selling it to the dwarrow of the Blue mountain for around 6 gold a bundle if I heard them right. It could be more." Radegund, Omer, Clovis and Ansegar shoot out of their chairs in outrage. Understandable since they are the ones being slighted.

"I have sold to these men before." Kayla cuts in stopping the fuming hobbits from loudly expressing their displeasure. "They buy clothes in bulk when they can, they have said it was for their young but in light of this I am no longer sure that is true."

"I have also sold select herbs to them." Fiona says with a scowl before looking at Bilba. "You are well versed in dwarven healing methods, tell me if these herbs are used in their pastes and tonics." She says. "Gingko, Turmeric, Evening primrose oil, Flax seed, Echinacea, Grapeseed extract and Lavender."

"They are. Gingko is used for eye health, bone healing and helping those with the memory sickness." She says in anger, it wasn't just pipe-weed the dwarrow were being scammed on but essential healing supplies. "Turmeric is for bone joint pain and several skin infections. Evening primrose oil is for breast pain as well as to help dwarrowdams monthly bleeds. Flax seed is for inflammation and hot flashes. Echinacea is for upper respiratory infections. Grapeseed extract is for leg vein circulation. And Lavender is for migraines." The Proudfoot sisters hiss in anger.

"How will they get these things if we cut off trade?" Alura asks in worried anger, a question Bilba was hoping would be asked.

"I plan to continue to trade with our unknown partners but for that I must go to the Blue mountains to negotiate a new trade deal, I am sure they will be just as angry about being cheated as we are. It is only these men we will be cutting off." She says. "Rent will still be taken at the end of every month, Miss Leafwalker-Baggins will be the one collecting it and she knows exactly how much she needs to take so I wouldn't try and short her. Miss Leafwalker-Took will be holder of Bag End in my absence." Both Alyssa and Grace bow to her in acknowledgement while their mother huffs angrily and their father looks on in pride.

"I will accompany you if Miss Leafwalker-Took is willing to look after Allowin, Pepin and Devin." Kayla says, Grace nods her acceptance.

"I accept your offer of travel companionship Miss Longriver. Now that was everything I needed to tell you all about, is their anything you would like to discuss while we are all here?" She asks as she finally picks up her fork.

"The winter has destroyed some of my crops down to the roots but most have survived and a few have even started sprouting already..." Mr Gamgee starts prompting everyone else to give reports on how they are handling after returning home.

All in all it was a good meeting and everyone left in better spirits hearing about how things were looking up for everyone else. Now Bilba had to inform her grandparents of her plans so they didn't turn up and find her gone without a trace.

* * *

Fili watches his mother storm around cursing the greedy hearts of men, his uncles just as mad. He understands their anger, as crown prince Balin had drilled finance lessons into him. Kili too but it had always been more important for Fili to retain the information. He had spent much of his tweens reading about how much they struggled for enough coin to feed and clothe the kingdoms pebbles let alone the dwarrow of age. To find out that things they had thought luxuries had just been goods with increased prices was... it was infuriating. There was so much they could have spent their money on if they only had to spend 6 **copper per pound** on pipping weed. Not to mention how much cheaper everything else surly was, he felt vindictive pleasure at the imaginary looks on those mens faces when they turned up and were shut down by all of his ones war counsel. And that was what they were, in the beginning stages yes but with the way they planned the banning of those men...

What was slightly surprising was how angry Frodo was to learn about this.

"Why are you so angry Frodo?" Kili asked softly.

"They cheated us." Frodo says with a violent hiss. "There is nothing a hobbit hates more then some other race thinking that they can get away with cheating us. Those men are lucky aunt Bilba is more worried about settling the wrongs done to you and yours or they would be hunted. They still might when she returns."

"Hunted?" Uncle Thorin asks, Frodo looks him in the eyes and smiles. It's all teeth.

"Have you never heard of Conkers king of Erebor?" Everyones attention is on Frodo and uncle Thorin now.

"... Your aunt mentioned it once before our quest started though she did not say what it was." Uncle Thorin admits, Frodo's smile grows in it's violence. It is actually a little terrifying since they had all kind of assumed that hobbits were a softer race.

"Conkers" Frodo says smugly. "Is a game where a hobbit is given a sling and sent off after someone or ones who have been charged with crimes against the Shire. The winner of is the one who manages to kill the charged or has the most kills. Points are added for range and style points of course." Frodo's eyes sparkle at the shock of those around him. "Aunt Bilba was the champion right up to her passing."

.... Mahal, his one was the best...

* * *

"No." Her grandfather snarls angrily at her and Kayla (she had insisted on coming after making Bilba get [changed](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/627196685595913778/) into something befitting her statice of favored granddaughter). "I refuse. You are 20 Bilba, 20!"

"My farmers and trades are being **cheated!** Not only that but the dwarrow of the Blue mountain are being overcharged and they do not even know it! I have no choice but to go!" She yells, they have been arguing about this for an hour not that she's going to be backing down. Her heart is in that bloody mountain and he's starving! (If her theory is correct) She will not stand for this.

"Then get one of them to do it! You will not be leaving the Shire young faun! Until you are of age I am your guardian, you will do as I say!" He snaps. "It is clear that letting you think yourself independent has filled your head with lies, you are to pack your things and go to your cousin Otto's immediately!"

That hurt a lot more than she thought it would and she can't even blame him. He never really looked into cousin Otto until she had run and grandmother forced him to find out why. Since she refused to go he would never have the push he needed to. It is one of the things that makes her unsure, what would cousin Otto do without the eyes that had followed him in her last life.

"You aren't my guardian Grandfather. I am Mistress of my estates." She snarls, the hurt curling around her words. "But you already know that since you have a copy of my parents wills."

Grandmother looks slightly ashamed of trying to trick her while grandfather splutters in anger. "Do not accuse me of trying to cheat you Bilba. You might be favored Granddaughter but that will not save you if you continue."

"Do not try and lie to me Grandfather! Grandmother gave you away when she accepted that I had sponsored as easily as she did. Only the Mistress or Master of an estate can sponsor." Her grandfather opens and closes his mouth trying to come up with some way counter her argument. "And if you dare try and force me to live with cousin Otto again I will abdicate my title of favored granddaughter." She warns like she isn't already planning to not return after she gets to Erebor (aside from coming to collect Frodo if she can't stop his parents from dying, no one had ever told her how it happened or they did and she was too lost in her heart sickness to retain it.)

"Please do not go." Her grandmother begged as her grandfather slumps back into his chair in defeat.

"I must grandmother, they are being cheated as much as we are and I can't let that stand. Miss Fiona Proudfoot has told me that they are buying herbs used in dwarven healing, fauns could be going without healing due to pricing or worse." The look on her grandmothers face says that she hadn't thought of that. "I will not be going alone, Miss Longriver will be coming with me."

"Yes, the one with heart sickness." Her grandfather hisses under his breath.

"The one with heart sickness who owes Mistress Baggins three life debits for stopping my fauns from freezing to death." Kayla says blandly making grandfather color a tad. "I will not let anything happen to Mistress Baggins for this alone my Thain."

He glares at the glass in his hand before downing the brandy that was in it. "Fine. But you are to come here first when you return so that I may know you are safe."

"I promise you grandfather. I will not even go home to change from my travel clothes first." She agrees, she hates fighting with them, they are some of the only blood family she actually likes.

"Good, now go home and sleep. I will not have you traveling tired." He huffs, less angry now that she was agreeing with him.

"Of course, I love you Grandfather. I love you Grandmother."

"And I you my darling Bilba." Her grandmother says getting up to hug her.

"As do I my daughters daughter. Be safe."

"I will." She says then she and Kayla leave. They have a long day tomorrow.

* * *

They set out the next morning with one of her fathers maps and the sales reports so she can show the dwarrow proof. She cannot wait to be in the same mountain as her heart again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	8. Chapter 8

**Khuzdul**

* * *

"I want to learn how to fight." Kayla says as soon as they are out of the Shire. 

Bilba blinks twice from where she's leading Tina (She refuses to ride her until Kayla also has a pony, it wouldn't be fair.) "I'm sorry?" She says in confusion.

Kayla meets her eyes. "I saw the scars on your side and thigh Mistress Baggins. They were not there during the winter." She winces a little, she had hoped Kayla had missed that. "I have taken the job of your defender, to do that I need to know how to fight. I cannot let my children's chosen guardian be harmed."

"Chosen guardian?" She asks in shock.

"You saved their life Mistress Baggins, opened your door when no one else would. Who else would I trust with their lives should I not live to see their coming of age?" Kayla asks as if it was the simplest thing in the world and maybe it was to her, Bilba remembers how pragmatic her heart sickness had made her when it came to raising and protecting Frodo.

"I... of course Miss Longriver, what weapon has taken your fancy?"

Kayla's lips twitch up a tad and a sparkle of mischievous enters her eyes for a moment. (Bilba is entirely to pleased to be the one to make it happen) "Well, I've heard great things about your skill in Conkers..." Bilba bursts into laughter, images of Thorin's confused face at the beginning of their quest flittering about her mind.

"That I am, we'll start when we brake for camp."

* * *

It takes them three days to get to Norwich which is still as homely as she remembers and Bilba is glad to be able to sleep in an actual bed again, her fathers map said that there where two more towns on the way to the Blue mountains but they where far from each other. Bilba's first stop is to Melody Range, they are not too happy to see her tugging Tina along until she assures them that she's not returning the pony but asking them to watch her for the night. The added fact that Kayla buys a pony herself seems to win them back over completely. After that they head to The Ethereal Tulip, Bilba thinks that things are going quite well until the barkeep sees her and gains a look of worried panic.

He's quick to get out from behind the bar and usher them upstairs. "How long is your stay this time little lass?" He says quickly as he looks over his shoulder then pushes her and Kayla into the room she rented last time.

"I'm only here for a night, what is wrong?" She asks. The barkeep looks like he bit into something sour.

"After you left Norwich it was discovered that Tor had been lying about his skills in the forge. It turns out that he had a dwarf in his forge, a dwarf he had been stiffing payments with it was found when it went to trial. He has been stripped of his blacksmith and all of his funds have been seised so that they can be given to the dwarf in question should he return." The barkeep says and Bilba's heart beats happily, glad that Thorin was getting credit for his craft finally. "Tor blames you though, he says that you knew about the dwarf and set him up."

"Oh... ummm... that's because I kind of...did." She admits as she rubs the back of her neck, Kayla gives her an exasperated look. "He was being cheated! His work was being stolen! I couldn't let it continue so when Tor was packing up my order I snuck into the forge and left him a note a few hundred gold coins with the hope that he would have enough to leave. I am glad he did."

"How much is a few hundred gold coins Mistress Baggins?" Kayla says with a voice full of parental scolding.

"Around 600... maybe 700, I'm not to sure." The barkeep chokes on his spit as Kayla sighs.

"This." Kayla says in deadpan. "This is why the Thain is worried for you."

Bilba narrows her eyes at the older lady hobbit. "I am completely capable of taking care of myself." She hisses.

"You handed up to 700 gold coins to a stranger after already handing over a chunk of gold to this Tor man." Kayla states like that's argument enough.

"That stranger made all of my new kitchenware. He carved it all out by hand." She stresses. "It was already made my a dwarven master of his craft. If anything I have severely underpaid him for his work even with what I payed Tor added." Kayla tilts her head then nods her head once and starts getting bed clothes out for them. Bilba turns to the barkeep. "We can leave if this whole thing puts you in danger."

"Of course not! I will not throw you out to the wolves because some fool thought he could get away with false claims of skill. You are welcome to stay the night little lass and I will be escorting you both to the town border in the morning."

Bilba softens "Thank you." He nods and leaves.

Bilba sleeps with her bone sword under her pillow.

* * *

The barkeep (Varin she learns) keeps his word. As soon as she pays him he feeds them breakfast then walks with them as they top up on supplies, get their ponies and trot to the town boarder. Tor, the fool, decides to try and attact her as soon as they cross the boarder like them no longer being in the town itself would stop Varin from tackling him to the ground and punching him out. It doesn't.

It all happens so fast that Bilba doesn't even see it, one second she's thanking Varin for walking with them and the next he's got an unconscious Tor under him and calling for guards. She blinks, turn so Kayla to confirm that it all actually happened then turns back to Varin.

"It would seem that I owe you my thanks twice Mr Varin."

"Think nothing of it little lass, I would not stand by while a grown man attacks a child because he was caught out." He says as he brushes himself off and Tor is dragged away. "Have a safe trip, I will keep a room open for you for when you return."

"And now I must thank you a third time Mr Varin." She says with a laugh. "I will see you on the return trip." He nods then they both split off. He heads back and she heads forward. To her heart and the rest of the line of Durin.

* * *

Thorin (the living) dismounts in front of Ered Luin with a lighter heart.

" **Well met prince Thorin.** " Milran says in greeting from his post at the front gate.

" **Well met Milran, well met Furik.** " Furik (the other dwarf guarding the front gate) nods as she lets him in. 

He leads Pepper to the stables then heads strait to his section of the mountain. " **Uncle!** " Fili and Kili shout as they spot him making Dis whip around.

" **Hello boys, it is great to see you again. I'm sorry to cut this short but I need a quick word with your mother. I'm free after though so we'll catch up then okay?** " They both nod and hug him before darting out of the room. Dis looks worried now.

" **Thorin, what is wrong? What has happened?** " She asks softly, a tone she only ever uses when she thinks his upset.

" **I am well Dis, more than that actually. Here.** " He hands her the leather pouch, her eyes widen and she opens it with hands that shake as much as his did the first time.

" **This... Thorin!** " She says in joy. " **How did you get this much?!** "

" **That my sister comes with a story.** " He says softly as he leads her to one of the chairs in the room. " **Do you remember that hunting trip I took the boys on? The one that lasted six months?** " She nods with pain in her eyes. " **Well, you see....** "

Three hours later, after he told his sister everything (even what had happened with Tor as humiliating as that had been) Dis sits in silence clutching the note he had been given in a white knuckle grip.

" **... You are sure?** " She asks finally.

" **Yes, she is Fili or Kili's one. I am sure.** " She nods to herself and gently flatens out the note.

" **Right then brother, we should get to finding her so that we can bring her home.** " 

" **That we should, I will ask Balin what he knows of hobbits while you put that coin to good use.** "

* * *

The trip to the Blue mountain is quite calm after that. Kayla gets better at Conkers, she hunts, they enjoy the other two beds they get to sleep in. It goes so well that Bilba isn't surprised that they are met at the gates of the Blue mountain by dwarven crafted blades. If Bilba has learnt anything in her long life it is that good things are suspicious and should never be trusted.

"State your business!" One of the guards growls, Kayla tightens her hands on rains but Bilba can't find it in herself to be scared. Thorin had a worse glare on a good day.

"I am here because I have recently found out that your people have been scammed." She sees no reason to lie. "Goods my farmers and traders have sold to men have been turned around and sold to you all with severely increased prices. I wish to broker a trade deal between us that is much more fair." The guards speak to each other in Khuzdul which she pretends she doesn't understand before they drop their weapons.

"We will let you inside but you will have to wait by the gate until the head of the merchant guild is informed and choses to speak to you or not." The first guard says.

"I understand and will do as instructed as will my companion. Well met dwarven guard."

"... Well met traveler."

The second guard escorts them in, telling the one of the guards inside to watch them in Khuzdul then hurrying further into the mountain. Bilba is content to sit in silence as she waits, her heart is in here somewhere. The thought keeps her calm, he is alive and closer than he has been since he let her fall into the waters under his ship. It takes less than half an hour for the guard to return to collect them, she's glad they see this as urgently as she does. She and Kayla leave their ponies with the inner guards who promise to take them to a stable, Bilba is glad that Tina will have more chances to make pony friends.

She thinks that she was right about her theory. The halls of the Blue mountain look so much more strained that those of Erebor and the dwarrow are skinnier than she would like. She wonders if it would be insulting to add extras to any orders they might get from the mountain in the future.

She's also starting to think that Yavanna is playing games with her. Yes, she knows that there are a lot of dwarrow in this mountain but come on. So far she's seen Gimli (Gloin's son and companion to her Frodo), a flash of both Nori and Dwallin (Nori was running from the other dwarf, they ran right in front of her but she's sure neither had noticed her), as well as heard Kili snickering overhead but she couldn't see him anywhere. Balin is who she's hoping to meet, head of the merchant guild sounds like a Balin job.

... It's not Balin but the look of the dwarf in front of her still hurts in it's familiarity.

"So, I have been told that my people are being scammed. What proof do you have of this pebble?" Dis, princess of Erebor says as she watches Bilba and Kayla like she thinks them liers.

Bilba squares her shoulders and steps forward with the papers. "All I have are my sales papers and the word of one under my family name who heard the men gloating Mistress Dwarf. Here." She places the papers before the dwarrowdam and steps back.

Dis looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "My name is Dis, daughter of Thráin, son of Thrór. Sit, it looks like we have much to discuss."

"We do." Bilba agrees as she sits, Kayla keeps standing by the door like a guard. "My name is Bilba, daughter of Belladonna, daughter of Gerontius. At your and your families service." It might have been pushing it a bit with the dwarven greeting but Dis seemed to appreciate it so she didn't mind.

* * *

Fili is very exited to see what his mother thinks of his one during their first meeting, they had never gotten the chance before. Here mother already loved her, already called her daughter but there. There in the land of the living it was all up in the air, no letters sent home. Nothing.

He hoped that they got on, he really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	9. Chapter 9

Bilba had been taught to never assume by her father. "You never know when a enemy hides behind the face of a friend." He would say as he tucked her in. "Likewise my faun, you never know when a friend hides behind the face of an enemy." And it was true, she had seen it enough to drill the lesson into Frodo. They were Baggins of Bag End after all, everyone wanted a piece of them at one point or another.

She knew she shouldn't assume but well... "So I take it that the price hike wasn't only on pipe weed? I had assumed as much but I've never been one to act without being sure."

Dis' head snapped up and her stream of furious Khuzdul cut off. "Yes." she hissed in common. "It is more than pipe weed. When I get my hands on those...." She descends back into angry Khuzdul not that Bilba blames her at all. Dis was a princess so it was her job to take care of her people, to find out that someone was doing this to them. Had been doing it for years.... She understands.

"Well, now that we are both aware of what's going on we can fix it." She says cutting off the dwarrowdam, the dwarven guards tensed but Bilba payed them no mind. If Yavanna was unwilling to let her meet her dwarrow early then she didn't want to stay. It hurt to much being in the same place as her heart and not being able to see him. "I am willing to let you pay the prices on my sales sheet for all but the pipe weed. My farmers are quite angry to find out they have been shorted payments as badly as they have."

"And what would the new price be." Dis asked shortly, Bilba is unsure if she was still mad about being cheated (she had every right to be) or if it was because Bilba interrupted her.

"Lets say 6 copper per bundle. That way my farmers make more and your people save around 5 gold, 99 silver and 94 copper per. Sound good?" She asks as she starts jotting the beginnings of a trading contract. "We'll need to figure out transport since we have cut off the men, would you like to send dwarrow to the Shire to collect or shall I have a trader come to you with agreed upon items? What about payment? Do you wish to pay upfront with a refund policy if things get damaged in transport or when the goods arrive?" Dis blinks once at her onslaught of questions then she leans forward to start answering.

* * *

Bilba stretches in her chair as they finally agree on the contracts wording. It had been literal hours and Bilba was so ready to be on her way home, she missed her bed and her sponsees. She decided that she wasn't planning to leave the Shire again for a while. She signed it first as an act of good faith then signed the copy first as well, with both of them having a trading contract neither could try and demand more from the other. A thing Dis seemed to be grateful of. 

Dis signed both contracts as well then stood and tipped her head at Bilba, Bilba copied her. "It was lovely to meet you pebble, you have saved us a lot of coin."

"It would have been wrong for you to suddenly be cut off from some of your traders with no idea why. I know it would have angered me quite a bit." She says with a light smile. "Should the men turn up on my land I shall have them brought to you in the first available caravan."

Dis smile grows a tad though it still has a regal air about it, she opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by the door opening. The faun looks nervous but speaks to Dis in Khuzdul about Balin finding a lead to something. Dis' eyes narrow before widening in excitement. "I'm sorry to cut this short Bilba but I must attend to matters elsewhere, are you okay to find where you will be spending the night?"

"Of course, whatever it is you need to do sounds important. Do you mind if I take a look around some of the stalls first? It would be very improper of me to not bring home gifts after all."

"Go ahead Bilba, well met."

"Well met Dis."

* * *

The dwarven marketplace was like nothing Bilba had ever seen, the streets were packed and dwarrow shouted in a mix of Common and Khuzdul. It felt right being here, **it felt right.**

She smiled brightly as she let the crowd move her from stall to stall, everything was wonderfully made and it seemed that she walked away from each stall with some nicknack and a slightly lighter coin bag. Fancy wet stone, yes please. Pretty golden chains that reminded her of her hearts braids, absolutely. A throwing axe made by a masters apprentice who needed to sell it to complete his mastery, of course (It was very well made and the apprentice had smiled so wide.). Little fauns seemed to be telling the stall owners about her as they ran in and out of her way because their shouts became louder and all in Common. Kayla was exasperated.

She twisted and twirled as her bag grew heavier and her pockets lighter. Every coin she spends without mind makes them smile wider and become bolder, things offered to her are newer and more expensive. Apprentices swarm her to show off their skills (They are very skilled, she can't resist. Kayla sighs.), stall owners send their fauns off to get things they thought they would never sell and chat happily with her while she waits. By the time she gets to the last stall filled with achingly familiar carved toys the faun behind the stall is practically bouncing in excitement.

"Hello Miss!" He says with a big grin. "See anything you like?" The tiny faun looks so much like Bombur that it **hurts**. She smiles because if she doesn't she'll cry.

"Well hello little faun, these toys look very lovely." She says seriously. "So lovely that I can't choose which one I want." His face falls and she feels a little bad about her tiny bit of fun. "I guess I shall just have to buy them all." She announces.

The boy jumps in joy and the stall owners around her clap for him. "Really?!"

"Really. Would you help me pack them?" He nods quickly and lets her help him in wrapping the toys up, she passes them gently to Kayla who just puts them into her pack without a word. 

When they're done she hands over the correct amount of coins, the faun puts a closed sign on the stall and runs off after giving her a hug. She feels so light even though her bag is so much heavier. Her mind, heart and soul singing the word 'Home' in her ears. She turns to leave the market and almost runs into a dwarf, Gimli, she almost ran into Gimli.

"Ya still got any gold left?" He asks gruffly but she could tell he was nervous, she had watched him enough with Frodo.

"That depends entirely on what you have for me, Master dwarf." 

His face sours. "Gimli, son of Glóin." 

She smiles. "Bilba, daughter of Belladonna. Well met Gimli."

"Well met Bilba, here." He pulls out a war [axe](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/593490057123930845/) and hands it to her.

" _Wow_." She whispers as her fingers run over the patterns, he puffs up in pride. "This is beautiful. How much is it?"

"57 gold since I'm not a master." He admits. "It's my graduating piece."

She nods thoughtfully. "How much would this be if you were a master?" She asks curiously as she takes a step back from him so she can lightly swing it, it cuts through the air with no resistance.

"347 gold." He says. "The reason the price is so low is because we need to sell one of our works to graduate, no one can afford 347 gold for an axe." He adds grumpily.

"I can." Bilba says causing him and a redheaded dwarrowdam standing a few feet behind him to freeze. Kayla sighs loudly and hold her hand out, Bilba happily hands the axe over so she can get out her coin bag. He's still in shock as she quickly counts the coins out and puts them in her spare coin bag then hands it over.

" _What..._ " he says right before the dwarrowdam cries his name happily and drags him into a hug.

She waves kindly at him and leaves with Kayla. They pack their ponies and say goodbye to the guards before setting off. It's as they are setting up their camp that Bilba goes to check how much she has left, she doesn't find her coin bag. What she finds is a hastily note written.

_**'Hey rich lady hobbit, thanks for helping me become a master of my craft ;p'** _

It's not signed but she'd recognize Nori's handwriting anywhere. She can't help but throw her head back and laugh.

* * *

Fili laughs with his one, as a burglar she always had a soft spot for Noir and Nori her. He had been slightly jealous at first but she always can back to him so he had gotten over it quite fast.

"...Wait! Doesn't this mean that Gimli is going to be going on the quest with us now?" Kili asked as he turned to uncle Thorin. "The only reason Glóin managed to get him to stay behind was because he wasn't a master of his craft yet. Now, not only is he a master but because Bilba payed a masters fee for his graduating piece he'll be considered top tier." Kili says thoughtfully making everyone else pause. Frodo looks a tad confused but Fili's great, great grandmother pulls him aside to explain.

"You wouldn't be able to say no." Fili agrees because it's true, his one had just turned Gimli into the most sought after axe smith in Ered Luin and Erebor when they retake it. If he could only take one of them it would be seen as a great insult if he didn't pick Gimli.

"You are right." His uncle Thorin sighs. "I hope Glóin doesn't take it to hard." They knew he would. What a mess that was going to be for their living counterparts. 

* * *

Bilba and Kayla arrive back in the Shire three months later in the dead of night since they hadn't seen the point of stopping when they were so close. So that Bilba could keep her promise Kayla took Tina and lead her back to Bag End where she would be staying the night since her triplets were there.

Bilba knocked tiredly at the door and waited, her grandfather opened the door looking extremely annoyed only to blink when he saw her.

"You said to come strait here." She grumbles out.

A smile breaks out over his face. "Bilba! I've missed you so. Come in, come in. Your grandmother will be so pleased to see you in the morning." Bilba is so tired she doesn't even complain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	10. Chapter 10

**Khuzdul**

* * *

Nori had been half in love with Bilba Baggins the moment he met her, well, not the exact moment. 

It had started when they had started dinner, he thought her an annoying fusspot. She worried about every little thing, Nori decided that if she was just going to worry anyway it wouldn't matter if he added another thing to the list. He slipped one of her silver spoons up his sleeve. 

He expected a lot of things to happen, crying, random accusations, her not even noticing it was gone. He did not expect the clink as she put a new one next to him mid complaint. He definitely didn't expect to move his arm and no longer feel the spoon, she hadn't given him a new one. She had re-stolen the original off of him without him noticing and put it back in front of him like he was a naughty pebble. 

It became a game after that, he would take something and she would take it back. It's how he learned that her footsteps were silent, that her hands were so soft that he could barely feel then as they slid up his sleeves. It's how he discovered about her skills in detraction because no one noticed a thing, she had been looking Thorin right in the eye while the rest of them watched her and no one noticed her sticking her arm down the front of his top to get her plate. And then she had the nerve to say that she wasn't a burglar!

He was glad that she ended up coming but that brought up a new problem a few weeks in because at that point in their game (She had stollen his coin purse for betting against her and he wan't about to be out done in his own craft) he was completely in love with the little lass and ready to rip the head from Thorin's stocky perfect shoulders for upsetting his pebble. A shocking thought but one that felt right.

He brought the question of adoption to her in the middle of the night and with her tearful agreement hid his family braids in her hair. He told no one and neither did she. A secret to add to the ones they already kept from the world... A secret he should have told Thorin, even in the throngs of madness Thorin wouldn't banish his daughter... or maybe he would, he had no trouble casting Nori from his thought in search of that fucking rock.

On the day that Nori died he was given a choice, follow his one or his daughter. At that point the choice had been obvious, why would he enter the halls of the dead when he could make a better life for everyone instead... having a pebble had made him, urg, responsible. That left a bad taste in his mouth.

So here Nori was, speeding though his apprenticeship so that he could apply for the spot of spymaster before the old one got it (the old one who was planning to assassinate Fili and Kili when his niece was of age so Thorin would have to marry her to produce more heirs.). He had been leading Dwalin on a wild goose chase all over Ered Luin (the second to last part of his apprenticeship, Dwalin would forgive him eventually) when he almost runs over his pebble. What was she doing here?! He plays it off like he didn't see her because he knows he's not supposed to meet her yet, all his tries to get to her had failed even the ones he **knows** should have worked. Once he's lost Dwalin he hunts her down, he finds her talking to Dis about trade deals. He wanders what had turned Balin away from his guild so he checks after making sure his pebble is safe.

He finds Balin in the royal library with his grumpy one behind him.

" **How do we have no texts on hobbits?** " his one complains, Nori's eyes narrow.

" **I have not gone through all of our texts Prince Thorin. Are you sure that is what she called herself?** " Balin says patiently as he flicks through the book in front of him.

" **Yes! I am very sure Balin, she wrote it down for Mahal's sake.** " Had she met his one? Maybe he **could** see her before that stupid quest!

" **It would have helped if you had at least saw the pebble Prince Thorin.** " Balin says as he closes his book and pulls on the next one in his pile. Damn, there goes that plan. Now he has to go on that blasted quest, it's fine. If his one went mad again he would just stab him somewhere non vital and shove him in a closet or something.

He grows bored watching his one pulling his hair out in stress and decides to follow his pebble around. She's still going toe to toe with Dis about trade but it is much more amusing, watching her go nuts in the market even more so. He makes sure to register her as his target for graduation then waits for her shopping spree to end, he cannot wait for Glóin face when he gets out ranked by his son on the quest. He lifts her coin purse without trouble and takes it to his master so that he can get his mastery done then he hunts her down again, he thinks about returning it before she knows that it's missing but wheres the fun in that. He writes her a quick note and slips it into her pocket as she jumps onto her pony. Let their new game begin.

* * *

He waits three months to apply for the position of spymaster because he knows the first thing they'll want him to do is to find his pebble and he wants all trace of her to be gone for the others they might send when he says no.

It might be a bit bold to be lounging on his one's bed while he waits but he's not planning to play the should we, shouldn't we game this time around. He wants his one, he won't be tossed aside for a fucking stone again.

" **You should sleep more.** " He says as his one closes his bedroom door, his one freezes. " **You look tired.** " Nori says, it comes out deeper than he means it but he hardly cares.

" **Who are you and what are you doing in my rooms.** " His one growls but in the dim light Nori can see his pupils grow.

" **I am here to fill your empty spymaster position... among other things.** " He won't hand over his name, not yet. His one's eyes narrow.

" **Spymaster.** " He hisses and Nori chuckles

" **I did say that O'prince. Business before pleasure and all of that.** " He waves a bored hand and lets himself flop back on the bed, it was very soft. His one growls but it just makes him chuckle more.

" **Most would go to my office to ask for a job.** " His one says eventually as he starts undoing all of the buckles on his armor, Nori has to bite his cheeks to stop from asking if he could help. Business before pleasure. 

" **Anyone who goes to you _office_ for the job of spymaster is a fool you should laugh in the face of.**"

" **And so I should hire the ones who sneak into my rooms?** " His one asks, closer now. It makes Nori's blood sing.

" **Seeing as I'm the only one who's done so I'd say yes.** "

" **And if you're not?** "

The laugh that makes it's way out of Nori at that comment is cruel. His one wants to play that game then? Fine, he lets his possessiveness bleed through his words. " **No one has snuck into your rooms O'prince, I would have cut down anyone who** _**tried**_." His one tries to touch him. Nori grabs his arm and flips him so that his back hits the back of the bed, he straddles the King of Erebor then places a dagger to his throat. " **I believe I said business _before_** **pleasure**."

His one glares up at his but makes no move to shove him off. " **You would kill me?** " His voice is a tad breathy, very interesting.

" **Kill you? No. Stab you somewhere non vital and shove you into a closet? Absolutely.** "

His one glares before he sighs. " **You really want the job?** "

" **I wouldn't be here with a knife to your throat if I didn't... at least not _today_.**" He says making his one huff.

" **I am looking for someone...** " His one starts but Nori cuts him off, he's avoiding all repeats meaning that he has to inform his one about his pebble. He hates it but he's not watching the man he loves choke his little girl again.

" **I'm afraid that I'm not going to do that. My pebble will not be meeting her one until she's of age. Not a moment sooner. I can however point you in the direction of the man planning to murder the young princes and force you to marry his niece if you'd like.** "

His one opens and closes his mouth like a fish, Nori softens slightly knowing that he's just put his one in an awkward position. " ** _...What?!_** "

" **You heard my O'prince. My pebble stays away from her one until she's of age and you get a name. Your guards might even get to him first.** "

His one's eyes narrow. " **What do you mean _first_.**" He hisses.

Nori tuts before leaning in. " **He is planning to assassinate my pebbles one and force a bride on _my_ one. The fact that I haven't beheaded him already is something you should be thanking me for.**"

" **... You _will_ let her meet my nephews the moment she becomes of age.**" His one demands like he isn't pinned with a knife to his throat.

" **I'll take you to her myself.** " He agrees easily, the quest would take care of that.

" **... Name him.** " Nori grin in victory and his one growls.

" **Losrek** **.** " He purrs, his one freezes then snarls viciously.

" **That bastard interviewed for the spymaster position!** " His one snarls angrily.

" **Let me guess, _he walked into your office._** " He says with a mocking tone, his one growls up at him but there is color on his cheeks.

" **I must tell the guards to apprehend him!** "

His one tries to get up but Nori pushes him down again, his dagger going back up his sleeve. " **Tomorrow.** " He says simply, his one opens his mouth to argue so Nori leans down and kisses him. Hard. He breaks away for a moment. " **Our business is conducted is it not.** " He purrs against his one's lips.

His one's eyes are blown wind and it takes him a second to answer. " **Tomorrow.** " He agrees before dragging Nori back down.

* * *

Bilba wakes to the smell of pancakes in a room she doesn't recognize, it takes her spotting a drawn picture of her mother and fathers wedding to remember that she had gone to her grandparents like she promised. She stretches and gets up, there is a wash basin filled with warm water and a pretty [dress](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/845480530040287910/) sitting near the bed. It's obvious why they are there so she gets to work. 

She steps out of the room and into the dining room, she stops in the doorway and her hand longs to reach for her new axe (She regrets letting Kayla take it back to Bag End). Her grandmother turns at her entrance and smiles brightly.

"Bilba! Good morning my darling, come and sit. I was just making everyone pancakes." Bilba doesn't move as her aunts, uncles, and cousins move to make her room. In fact her eyes don't even leave the reason she froze. He smirks like he's won, he has no idea what he's in for.

"Good morning Bilba." He says pleasantly as the seat next to him becomes vacant. It looks like the whole family is in on this plan, a shame.

"Otto." She says blandly, family gathering or not he has no reason to be there. There are no other members from her fathers side sitting in the room after all. "I'm afraid I can't eat grandmother." She says just as blandly, her grandmothers smile drops and everyone stops their quite conversations. "I need to meet with my traders and farmers to discuss my new trade deal with the Blue mountain you see." She says to the dead silent room. "I'm sorry for the trouble." She turns on her heels and walks away. She makes it four steps out of the house before Otto grabs her arm and yanks her into his chest.

"That wasn't very nice Bilba. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to embarrass me but that can't be right," He says pleasantly as his grip on her arm tightens to the point of pain. "can it?" it tightens further.

"I didn't know you had a brain at all, well done for proving me wrong." She sasses. "I will tell you once to let me go Otto. You only get the one chance to walk away."

"You dare think you can tell me what to do you little brat?" He hisses before he slaps her right across the face.

* * *

No one is able to stop Fili from launching himself at the screen this time. That bastard had struck his one! He slams into it with dagger raised, a dagger that doesn't even make a scratch. He snarls angrily and stabs at the screen again, then again and again. Uncle Frerin snatches the blade from him making him growl and reach for another.

"Be at piece my sisters-son. Look." Uncle Frerin rumbles from his side. 

Fili snarls but does... the snarls cuts off abruptly. "Oh..."

* * *

She blinks against the sting, he had hit her. Her grandmother gasps in horror and she feels a bubble of laughter making it's way up her throat, the idiot had struck her in front of the second most powerful hobbit in the Shire. Otto lets her go to probably try to placate her grandfather and Bilba takes his opening. She curls her hand into a fist and punches him in the stomach, when he bends over in pain she punches him in the face as hard as she can. He hit the floor and didn't get back. She wipes the blood trickling from her split lip on the sleeve of her dress then turns and continues to walk away.

"B...Bilba!" Her grandmother shouts behind her in worry and pain.

"M...Mistress Baggins?" Asks Cottar in shock from where he and his little brother stand in front of her.

"Miss Longriver said that you were back so we came to say hi. Are you okay?" Asks Crassus worriedly.

She ignores her grandmother, not in the mode to deal with her after what just happened. "I'm fine Mr's Gamgee, would you gather everyone for me? I need to talk to them about how the trade deal turned out." They look at her lip in worry but nod and run off.

"Bilba please!" her grandmother pleads, she turns to see two of her uncles tying Otto up while one of her younger cousins runs off to get the rangers. Her grandfather stands next to her grandmother and looks at her split lip in hate, at least she knows they still care. It's the only thing that stops her from abdicating right there and then. 

"He's lucky I didn't bring my axe." She tells them before she turns and leaves. She doesn't turn back again no matter how much her grandmother cries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	11. Chapter 11

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin _

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Bilba asks as everyone reads over the trading contract while she, Grace and Alyssa bring in the food.

"I think." Kayla says angrily. "That I shouldn't have taken your axe last night Mistress Baggins." Several of the other Lady hobbits nod.

"I was talking about the contact Miss Longriver." She says trying to bring them back on topic.

"Yes, good. I can work with this." Alura says quickly. "Now tell me why that bastard is still alive."

"Miss Proudfoot..."

"He struck you!" Marigold hisses.

"In front of the Thain no less!" Fatima adds.

"Why a Conkers torment hasn't already been called I'll never no." Bell huffs.

"I'm not going to be able to pull you away from this am I?" She asks as she sits down.

"You may be the holder of our renting agreements but your still _20_ Mistress Baggins. He's 56 and he **hit you**." Fiona says with a growl. "He should know better."

".... Fine." She huffs as she plates herself up. "Otto asked my grandparents to arrange a marriage contract between us, he also wished for guardianship of me until I was of age. They were considering it but I said no and pointed out that due to my parents will I was Mistress Baggins, of age or not." She eats some of her food before continuing. "It would seem that they are trying to get me to agree to him courting me anyway. They invited him over while I slept and roped the rest of my mothers family into it, they seem to think him a respectable hobbit I suppose. He struck me after I left and they both seemed angry about it so they might do something about it. It depends on how much they care about my happiness vs how much they think marring Otto will keep me comfortable in the future."

"You will **not** be marrying him." Kayla states simply as she picks the contract back up.

"I wasn't planning on it Miss Longriver." Kayla nod in acceptance.

They discuss the actual contract as they eat first and second breakfast, it's decided that Kayla and Alura will go on the first trip then Alura and Fiona and so on.

* * *

Thorin (the living) wakes up slowly, he had met his one last night. Well, his one had made his guards look like laughing stocks by appeared in his rooms. Thorin opens his eyes expecting to see his one sleeping next to him, he finds two tunics and a note instead of the warm body. He growls and picks the note up, he doesn't even know the other dwarves name for Mahal's sake.

_**'Good morning my darling prince. I'm sorry to fuck and run but I thought it better that we agreed on a plan of action before anyone found us and forced our hand. I have come up with two plans that could work and I shall let you pick which one you would prefer.** _

_**Plan One. You acknowledge me as your spymaster them your guard and I play a game of cat and mouse with Losrek, to the winners go the spoils.** _

_**Plan Two. You introduce me to your court as the one you wish to court and let Losrek think he has a chance at the spymasters position, he would come to you and you could deal with him then.** _

_**As I'm sure you've noticed there are two tunics on your bed. Walk past the window in the red one if you want to go with the first plan or the blue one if you wish to go with the second.** _

_**I will be waiting Thorin.'** _

He reads over the note again before picking up the blue tunic, he doesn't need to think much about it truthfully. He has spent years scared that he lost his one in Erebor and now that he's found him he doesn't plan to let him go. He puts it on and make sure it's visible under his armor then walks past his window. He pauses on the other side then shakes his head, why did he think he would get a response so soon?

" **You look good in blue Thorin.** " He spins in shock and finds his one lounging atop of his beds canopy. " **It brings out your eyes.** " His one purrs.

" **Why did I need to walk passed the window if you were here the whole time?** " He grumbles making his one chuckle as he slinks down like a cat.

" **Because I wanted you to pick without me interfering in your decision.** " His one says softly as his casually fixes a few things out of place on his armor. " **And because it was funny.** "

" **Ha ha.** " He grumbles making his one laugh again and kiss him.

" **I'll have my brother introduce us tomorrow.** " He whispers against Thorin's lips then slips out of the room like he was never there. Thorin doesn't follow, knowing that he was already gone. Tomorrow seemed to happen a lot around his one, he sighed and headed off to find his sister and Dawlin. They needed to know about what was going on.

* * *

Time passes quite quickly for Bilba after that. She becomes Mad Baggins rather early this time because after the Otto incident she always walks around with Gimli's axe strapped to her back. No matter her title the fauns love her and her standing order with Bofur, they have loved his toys since she first got back. They swarm the trading van when it returns much to joy of whoever is the rider. 

Her grandparents don't end up doing anything to Otto other than keeping him on a leash much to the anger of those under her. 

Grace and Alyssa excel at being sponsees and after their coming of age party Bilba sees them off, six years later she's invited to a double wedding. Their hearts turn out to be Elladan and Elrohir, twin sons of Elrond. The wedding and the week long party after it are magical even with the additions of the wood elves.

"A beautiful affair is it not." Thranduil speaks from her side. She doesn't like the fact that she didn't notice him approaching.

"Yes, to watch love defeat all odds. It's wonderful." She agrees.

"I would have liked to see something like this for my son." He says before he takes a sip of his wine, her eyes narrow. He knows.

"Do you know what a heart song is king of Greenwood?" His eyes snap to her, the only sign he gives that he's surprised that she knows too. How many of them had actually come back?!

"I heard about the general idea during a shouting match. I suppose you'd know more though... _how bad was what my son did in his fear?_ " He whispers the last bit into his drink.

"A heart song is born with a hobbit, it starts as a simple beat but grows as we do." She says, her fingers tighten around her cup. "When a heart song stops so does a hobbit."

"Ah, I shall make sure it doesn't happen again. For us, our loves are written in the stars we were born from." He takes another drink, longer this time. "Their death hurts of course, it never stops but we live on because no matter where we are all we have to do is look up to see them again." Either he's drunk or just in the mood for sharing with someone who understands what's happening to them. "Have you?..." He tales off but she knows what he means.

"No, you?"

He sighs. "No. I suppose you'll want me to let your dwarrow past this time Crown princess of Erebor."

"Bilba please. I've not even met my heart yet. And if you could that would be nice, I'd ask for an escort but..." He chuckles elegantly, she's slightly jealous.

"Thranduil." He says with a small smile. "I would like the White Gems of Lasgalen back again Bilba."

She rolls her eyes. "You say that like I would forget. If Thorin is poisoned by gold again I'll just claim them as part of my share, I will need to head for Mordor to depose of the blasted ring so I'll drop them off on the way."

The mirth falls away at the mention of the ring, it has caused both of their lives a lot of pain and madness. Their own as well as others. "I'll have a team of warriors waiting to join you." 

"... I'll think about it." She says eventually.

" _Father!_ " Legolas calls clearly drunk much to Thranduil amusement.

"Bilba!" Alyssa calls from the other side of the room, also very drunk.

"This is were we part." Bilba laughs as she starts moving away. "I shall see you in a few years King of Greenwood."

"And I you Crown princess of Erebor." He says with a chuckle of his own. "I cannot wait to see the face of Thorin Oakenshield when he realizes that the starlight of his nephew greets his enemy like a friend."

She scowls up at him before Grace comes over with a bright smile and drags her away. She waits for the wood elves to leave to laugh at the image. Thranduil has a big enough ego as is.

* * *

Fili watches his uncle Thorin grumble, he would be annoyed as well but he's more worried. Thranduil had come back with his one, who else was there? Did anyone else from the company come back? What about outside of it?

With that though comes another that is equally horrifying. "What if Azog went back?" Uncle Thorin's grumbling stops abruptly but he doesn't notice, too lost in the panic clawing it's way up his throat. "He sent his warg after her remember, did she ever mention that before?!" He asks only to panic more when Kili pales. "It makes sense right?! He went after her as a pebble then when she killed his warg he realized that she'd gone back too! Oh Mahal, they're going to be walking into a trap!" His ancestors try and calm him but no one tells him that he's wrong.

What has he done!

* * *

Life for Nori takes an unexpected turn when Ori introduces him and Dori to Thorin through Balin. Nori had expected the whole courtship to last until Losrek was caught, it was part of the plan after all. That was... not what happened. He miscalculated Thorin possessiveness though he really should have expected it.

Thorin piled furs and jewels on Nori so fast that he barely had time to blink, handed him hand made metal-work everyday. Nori found himself (and his brothers by extension) dragged to royal meals and events. This was not how one became a good spymaster! Everyone knew his face at this point, who wouldn't with all the love sick looks Thorin made sure to give him.

The day they got married was the most surprising of Nori's life. He has no idea how Thorin kept a royal wedding from him until he was in the actual room, the little shit had even enlisted his brothers! He should have noticed that something was up when the clothes Dori made him started getting more white! He has half a mind to beat Thorin right then and there but he's also really impressed that he managed to trick him so he smiles through the whole day of princely things and well wishes then punches Thorin in the face in their rooms before kissing him.

Thorin explains the next morning. About how he was planing to march to Erebor soon and take it back, about how he wanted to claim Nori as his husband before he left so no other dwarrow get any ideas while he's away. Nori laughs in his face because this fool thinks Nori is going to stay behind like a worried little housewife while he goes to fight a dragon. The get into several screaming matches about it over the coming days. Thorin wants him to stay, Nori refuses. A regular occurrence in the royal wing because when they aren't shouting Dis is because Fili and Kili are just as determined to go.

" **FINE!** " He yells just before he knows that Tharkûn will come offering his aid. " **I will not go to Erebor with you _O'prince_. Fili, Kili. Pack your things, we leave tonight.**"

The young princes jump up and beam. " **Yes uncle Nori!** "

" **What?!** " Thorin snarls.

" **This is what you wanted is it not? We aren't coming with you. We are going ahead and will meet you there. Enjoy your travels husband.** " Nori turns on his heels and storms out of the room. Mahal save him from the Durin line.

He manages to half pack Thorin's travel pack before the man in question storms into the room. " **Do you have any idea what you've done! I can no longer deny my sister-sons a part of this quest!** " He snarls.

" **You wouldn't have lasted that much longer anyway, they have completed their masteries and are of age. You have no standing to deny them, at least this way they know that one of their uncles sees things their way.** " He hisses back as he slams a tunic into the pack. " **When where you going to tell me that both of my brothers signed on.** " Thorin falls silent. " **Thats what I thought.** "

" **I couldn't say no.** " Thorin admits quietly. " **Ori signed on as Balin's scribe before I realized and when I did Dori had already signed on to protect him. I couldn't stop them.** "

" **Well that's all well and good but you still didn't tell me. Instead you tricked me into marrying you so you had an excuse to be reckless because no matter what happened to you I would still be royalty. I'm not going to let that happen, you want to be reckless? You do it here where it's not likely to get you bloody killed!** "

" **When you left Tharkûn turned up offering aid, he said that he had a burglar ready for us.** " Thorin tries to argue.

" **Great, now I have to worry about you, my brothers, our nephews _and_ my daughter. I'm going, now hand me those riding trousers.**"

" **Your... what...** " Nori sighs like he's put out but inside he's smug.

" **My daughter, you know. The one I promised to take you to when she came of age.** " He holds his hand out and Thorin hands him the trousers in shock. " **Oh honestly my love, Tharkûn is going to take us to meet his _hobbit burglar._** "

" **You... YOU KNEW!** "

" **Of course I did! You have always wanted to reclaim Erebor my love and the dragon has encountered all manner of creatures except hobbits. Tharkûn used to go on adventures with my pebbles mother so he is fond of her and she becomes of age in three months. If we leave tomorrow we should get there the day after her birthday.** " 

Thorin opens and closes his mouth a few times, Nori loves that expression on him. " **...You knew...** "

" **Yes Thorin, I knew. Nothing gets passed me.** "

" **Except your own wedding?** " Thorin says cheekily, oh good. They were no longer fighting.

" **Almost nothing O'prince. Help me pack? The faster we do it the faster we can get to the make up sex...** " Thorin blinks then laughs and grabs a travel pack.

* * *

Soon it's nearing her 33rd birthday and her heart is racing. She's so close, she almost has her heart with her again. She spends the remanning time cleaning and pretending that she doesn't know about the coming of age party the others are planning. 

"You're going to be late aunty Bilba!" Little Allowin complains as he tugs on one of her hands.

"You can't be late to your own party!" Pepin says as he pulls on her other hand.

"Mommy made you a really pretty dress! Come on!" Devin yells as she tugs on the front of Bilba's dress.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming you little nightmares." She laughs as she follows them into her bedroom where Kayla is waiting with a truly gorgeous [dress](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/753297475168739148/).

"This is wonderful Kayla. Thank you." She says as the little fauns let her go.

"I'm an eighth closer to my heart, I felt inspired." Kayla replayed. "Get dressed, we'll be waiting for you by the party tree."

"I will, bye nightmares!"

"Bye auntie!"

* * *

The party is great and merry and filled to the brim with drinks she's allowed to drink again. She forgets with the familiar taste that she's not in a body that's used to them and ends up blacking out around half way through. She wakes in her bed with a pounding headache. Great.

The sun stops hurting so much around lunch so she makes something small then takes her pipe outside for a smoke, she blew out a smoke ring and closed her eyes... only to have the smoke blown right back into her face. She splutters slightly then opens her eyes again.

It was Gandalf, wonderful. Just what she needs with a splitting headache. “Good morning.” She grumbles.

“What do you mean, do you mean to wish me a good morning or to tell me it is a good morning whether I want it or not” Oh Yavanna, she forgot what an ass Gandalf was. “Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on.” She’s going to kill him, she’s actually going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited*


	12. Chapter 12

She doesn't kill him even if she wishes that she did, instead she finds herself falling into the role she played before. The one where she pretends she doesn't know him and he completely ignores all of her wishes so that he can be amused. 

She'd show him! As soon as she got this hangover taken care of she'd turn everything back around on him, wonder how they'd react to finding out that she didn't know a thing!

* * *

Gimli sits on his pony in thought, when the others had gone ahead he'd volunteered to stay with the soon to be king Thorin and soon to be queen Nori who where too wrapped up in each other to pay much attention. 

He can remember what had gotten him in this mess in the first place like it was yesterday.

"Why am I here?" he grumbles as he walks into the bar and plops himself into the seat next to Aragorn.

"I know not. Legolas assured me it was important." Aragorn grumbles.

Gimli sighs. "Best we can do for him is be around I guess. The loss of your one is a horrid thing." 

Just then Legolas bursts into the bar and makes a beeline for them. "I have figured it out." He says as he sits, in his hand is a book written in a language he doesn't know. "I know how to fix everything."

"Lad..." He starts, he doesn't have a good feeling about this.

"I can fix this." Legolas states more determinedly.

"Alright, fine. What are you tryin' to fix." He sighs then waves the barkeep over. "Three ales, keep 'em coming. We're mourning a friend." Aragorn sinks a little in his seat and Legolas flinches slightly. The barkeep looks them over and nods.

Once Gimli has his attention back on Legolas continues. "I've found a way to do it all again, right this time."

Aragorn blinks once then stiffens. "No." He states point blank. "I will have no part in this."

Aragorn tries to get up but Legolas is faster and pins his arm to the table. "My starlight is dead and it's **my** fault! I didn't know that hobbits couldn't survive rejection! I just wanted him to be safe..."

"Great work Aragorn, you made the elf cry. Sit down the both of ya. You're drawing a crowd." They both sit and Legolas wipes his face. "Now how about we hear what the lad has to say before we storm off in a huff alright?" When did he become the responsible one?

So they sit and listen to Legolas while getting more and more drunk. They probably shouldn't have been drinking while he talked about time travel and giving up immortality but Legolas was usually the one who vetoed their crazy plans. Him being not only the one to come up with it but also quite deep in his elven wine meant they were doomed. Gimli was both completely and not at all surprised to wake up smaller and in his old bedroom in Ered Luin. They were supposed to turn up just before their quest but they had also all been completely hammered when they finally agreed, his mother walks in to remind him to not be late for his master and he wants to swear. How bloody far did he go?!

Too far he muses as he urges his pony along the trail. But at least he didn't have to relive his pebble years again. That would be awful.

* * *

Aragorn, or Estel currently, was counting his hidden weapons again. If things turned out like last time (Not that everything hadn't completely changed since he last time) then the company of dwarves would be passing through in a little over three weeks, he needed to leave with them.

"You know, you should really pay more attention to your surroundings if you're going to have clearly stollen weapons lying around." He tenses and turns to the first thing that made him realize that this time was different.

"Alyssa." The very pregnant hobbit smiles. "I didn't know that Elladan was letting you out of the healers wing."

She laughs sweetly. "I guess we're both breaking the rules huh." She steps in and shuts the door but doesn't say anything.

"... why are you here? Don't you usually go to the gardens when you escape Elladan's fretting." He finally asks, her eyes flicker over his weapons and they look almost fond.

"I know a girl like you." She says instead of answering him. "So young but willing to take on the world one bad guy at a time." He tries to not to show his interest, weren't hobbits a peaceful race? "I met her during the fell winter, a dreadful event in our history. When the rivers that had always protected us froze over and the wolves came bringing orcs with them." She heaves herself onto his bed and leans against the wall then pats the place next to her, he sits because he's worried she won't be able to get back up. No other reason. "This little girl lived with her mother and father, her father was the most proper hobbit you'd ever meet. Always on time, always polite. Her mother was wild, where she went was dictated by if she wanted to be there or not and no one could change her mind." She leans back and huffs a little.

"What happened to them?" He asks to re-draw her attention. 

"They were ripped apart by orcs while trying to protect us all. The orc who killed them sent his warg into their smial to kill their faun, it was the last thing they saw."

"So what you're saying is that I remind you of a dead girl." He hisses as pushes him self up and starts putting the daggers and currently to big swords away.

She laughs which just makes him angrier. "Who ever said that she died?" He doesn't turn towards her but he stops visibly ignoring her. "You see, this little girl was her parents daughter through and through. Wild yet proper, always good with timing but only when it suited her. She, at a physical age a tad younger than you, looked into the eyes of the warg who belonged to her parents murderer and then killed it and hung it's head atop her front door." He turns and blinks, she'd done what? "She opened her home and pantry to starving hobbit and the only thing she asked for was a bow and a few arrows which she used to kill the wolves that tried to attack the second time. She was a child but she saved our lives no matter what my mother would say."

"She sounds... cool" He's really not good at pretending to be a tween but he was worse at pretending to be a child so he'll take it.

"Oh she is, anyone who walks into the last homely house for a wedding with a dwarven battle axe strapped to their back is the peak of _cool_." His mind screeches to a halt, Bilba Baggins. She was talking about Bilba Baggins! Frodo never told them this story and he'd told them loads. He hadn't believed him of course (a hobbit going toe to toe with a dragon during a riddling match? Unlikely) but Alyssa didn't lie, she avoided answering directly when she could but she **never** lied. This meant that Frodo's aunt had killed a warg when she was smaller than him and if she did that then imagining her in Frodo's stories became a lot more real.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asks.

"Because you're leaving soon." She states making him rear back. "It's not the underage kid handling weapons that links you two in my mind Estel, it's the look in your eyes, the way you start taking stock of what you have when no ones looking. She had that same look in her eye before she found a reason to leave." She moves forward on the bed then cups his face. "You are leaving and I cannot stop you just like I couldn't stop her even if I tried but she came back and I trust that you will too. Tell me when you plan to leave and I'll try and stall for you."

He blinks twice at her retreating back then glares at a wall. That's it, next time he sees Legolas he's stabbing him.

* * *

Legolas is having a hard time pretending that he's the same as before, that he hadn't spent hours holding his starlight as the warmth faded in his arms. It was hard in the beginning but he knows his father didn't notice, it got a bit easier during the middle but now. Now it was agonizing because soon Bilba Baggins would be walking through his kingdom, his starlights aunt. The woman who raised him and loved him... the woman he had to tell about what he'd done, how he'd taken the one thing she had lived for and killed it. A woman who would have no idea what he was talking about since his starlight hadn't been born yet but that wouldn't stop him. He needed her to know, needed the one person who truly loved Frodo to judge him.

He had a few months yet but that would be over in a blink. Time had always flowed both fast and slow to his race.

"What are you moping about now Legolas?" Tauriel asks as she leans on the balcony railing next to him.

"Nothing much." He says as he looks at the stars as they spell Frodo's name. "... do you ever think about our starlights not being elves?"

She stills next to him. "Why are you asking me this Legolas? Have you met them?"

"No." Yes. "It was just a thought. I'm sorry for asking." He hops over the railing and lets himself fall.

He lands and turns to leave when he hears her reply. "All the time but no matter who they are I'll love them until they take their last breath or I take mine."

Her words make him nod even if she can't see him. That's what he plans to do with this new chance after all.

* * *

She spends the day shopping, cooking and cursing Gandalf while her heart races and her headaches. Kayla stops by with her nightmares to enquire about the large amounts of food she's bought, Bilba smiles and signs Bag End over to her. Kayla is so shocked that she actually leaves again without a fight. Food is placed and tables are moved as night falls. Bilba quickly gets [changed](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/795166877938952521/) then straps Gimli's axe to her back. As soon as the last strap is in place she hears a knock on the door. She runs to get it.

"Dwalin, at your service." Dwalin says with a tilt of his head, she has to fight not to beam.

"Bilba, at yours." She says copying his head tilt, his eyes widen. "I made dinner, would you like to come in?" She steps to the side so he can enter, he shakes himself and follows where she points. "You can hang your coat here." She points to her coat rack. "I'm still pulling things out of the oven but you can help yourself to what's on the table." He nods and walks into the other room, she has to cover her mouth to stop from laughing at his strangled gasp when he sees her kitchenware. A little while later she's pulling pies out of the oven when the doorbell goes off again. "I'll get it!" She calls to Dwalin before brushing off her hands.

Balin bows when he sees her. "Balin, at your service."

"Bilba, at yours. Dwalin is already here, if you could hang your coat up here." She points to the coat rack. "And I'll take you to him." His eyes are also wide in shock for a moment making her eyes narrow, why are they so shocked at her name? She leads him to his brother and watches their exchange fondly before the door goes off again.

Her heart stops in joy as she sees them. "Fili" her heart starts.

"and Kili," Kili continues with a smirk.

"at your service." They finish together. She can't help but beam at them.

"Bilba, at yours."

"Wait!" Kili says with a bright grin.

"You're Bilba?!" Says Fili excitedly

"The same Bilba mother always praises for being so smart so young!" Kili says again as he bouncing in place.

"Your mother?" She asks in confusion even though she knows who they're talking about.

"Dis!" Fili exclaims as a the rest of the company (excluding Thorin and Nori, why wasn't Nori there?) come up her path with Gandalf behind them.

"Oh Dis! I haven't heard that name in years, your her fauns! How is she doing? Still running the merchants guild?" Fili goes to correct her but is accosted by the others.

* * *

It's her annoyance at Gandalf and his general him-ness that starts her heart song. " _My heart._ " She whispers softly as she watches Fili laugh and dance around. Gandalf chokes on his pipe smoke and looks at her with wide eyes, she glares back until she hears a knock at her door.

She walks over and opens it only to blink in shock. "Gimli!" She smiles brightly at the dwarf in front of her.

"Bilba, you look well lass. And you still have my axe." He says as he pulls her into a hug.

"Of course I do! It's a masterpiece." She says with a smile before letting him go and smiling at the two dwarves behind him.

Nori's eyes sparkle as he steps forward for a hug. "Hello again my little pebble." She blinks and realizes that he know. Oh Yavanna, he knows! She can't help the tears that escape her eyes as she throws herself into his arms. "Shh, darling. I've got you. Shh."


	13. Chapter 13

Fili feels both joy and shock at the exchange. On the one hand he's happy because this means Nori has gone back as well, Bilba's going to have someone in the company who knows what's going on. On the other hand all of those times Nori stepped between them on the quest make sense now, no father wants any boys near their daughters.

"We're married..." Uncle Thorin says in awe as his fingers gently go over one of the braids in Nori's hair. Fili understands, in his timeline Nori and uncle Thorin met after Nori had saved him and Kili from the assassin not before so uncle never had the time to court him.

Fili looks at the screen and flinches at the look Nori is giving his living counterpart over his one's shoulder. With a look like that it may have to fall to Kili to carry on the Durin line.

* * *

"Adad!" She can't believe it, she hadn't dared hope when she realized that she wasn't the only one. Hadn't dared believe that anyone else in the company would be like her, least of all Nori! She has never been so glad to be proven wrong.

"I know darling. Lets go inside to my husband doesn't freeze to death." He says with a laugh as he wipes her tears.

She blinks up in shock. "Wait! I thought you wanted to be the spymaster?" She asks as she lets them in and shuts the door. "Doesn't your face need to be unknown for that?"

"Well it was very romantic my pebble." Nori says wisely. "He bribed my brothers and hid the whole thing until I was in the wedding hall."

"...So he stole your hand in marriage then." Thorin splutters and tries to deny but Nori talks right over him with love and pride shinning in his eyes.

"He did, it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me." Thorin actually flushes though his face softens, Bilba takes back everything she's ever said. Today is the best day of her life so far!

"Thorin," he says with a grumble. "at your service."

She smiles up at him and bows her head. "Bilba, at yours." She turns and sees the rest of the dwarves standing behind her looking on at the scene in shock, Gandalf stands above them glaring at Nori. "Oh what do you want." She growls. "Not as amusing for you know that I know some of the random guests you've invited into my home without permission?"

"What?" Thorin growls

* * *

Dessert had been a silent glaring match. Most of the company glare at Gandalf, Gandalf glares at Nori, Nori glares at Fili anytime he tries to move a little closer to her. After everyones done eating she sighs.

"Okay look. I get that everyone is mad at everyone, I know I'd like to wack Gandalf over the head but what's done is done." She says. "Adad, why are you here with 13 other dwarves at your back?"

"The dragon thing." Both Gandalf and Thorin splutter at his bored reply.

She raises an eyebrow. "The one with the glowy king rock?" Now they're spluttering at her, she was going to be nice and play along but Nori had decided against that plan apparently.

"Yup, Tharkûn thinks we need a burglar." He grins cheekily as he leans forward. "An expert."

"Well I have no idea what you're doing here then adad." she states simply while she fights the knowing smirk trying to creep onto her face. "I've never stollen a thing in my life!" She tilts her head up like Otto's wife Lobelia.

Nori laughs and snatches the contract from Balin's hands. "Course not daughter mine. You think you can help us 'not' steal the Arkenstone from a dragon?" He pushes the contract forward.

"I suppose I can help my heart regain his home." She says hauntingly before cracking and descending into giggles, he laughs as well and hands her a quill. She flicks through the contract just to make sure it's the same as last time then signs along the bottom.

"Excellent! Now that all the formal stuff is out of the way I have one rule." Nori announces as he hands the signed contract to Balin then he points right into Fili's face. "There will be no pregnancies on this quest." She goes red and Fili starts choking on his spit. "In fact if I hear the words; Pebble, faun, dwobbit or I'm pregnant from either of you before Erebor is fixed and livable I'll castrate you and lock my pebble in a tower somewhere. Do I make myself clear?"

"Adad!" She cries in shock.

"Y...yes uncle Nori." Fili gets out through his wheezing.

"Good, now come here Bilba so I can put your braids back in. I need to add a new one because we're royalty now." She wants to fight because what he just said in front of everyone was uncalled for but she knows how important this is for him so she just sighs.

"Yes adad."

* * *

Bilba goes to sleep with the weight of braids and smiles. The next morning she's up bright and early packing her pack and setting up for Kayla when Fili and Kili walk in.

"Oh!" she says as she straitens and puts the giant tray of sausages. "Hi guys, just in time for breakfast." Fili seems to be frozen much to Kili's amusement. "Are you alright?" She asks as she puts the tray down next to the others.

"What?" He says after he blinks.

She tilts her head in confusion. "You weren't moving, are you ok?"

He blinks again then Kili elbows him in the ribs, he shoots Kili a glare then turns to her with a smirk that makes her belly flip. "I was just admiring the view." His tone is low and slightly seductive.

"What view?" Nori asks pleasantly as he reaches around Fili to pick up a sausage. He looks Fili in the eye then snaps it in half.

"Nothing uncle Nori." Fili says slightly pale.

"That's what I thought." Nori says before popping half of the sausage into his mouth. "Come on Bilba, your uncles Dori and Ori want to meet you." He piles up four plates, giving her two and carrying two himself before leading her out. Before he leaves the kitchen he gives Fili a smirk that's all teeth.

* * *

Fili closes his eyes in pain. "Just admiring the view. huh?" Kili jokes next to him.

"I can't believe he said that!" He cries. "I'm not usually that stupid right?" He asks his brother who is on the floor crying in laughter.

"I'm disappointed in you Fili." His mother says.

He spins towards her in destress. "Don't say that to me! He's the idiot here!" He yells as he points to his living counterpart.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this son but that is you." His father says like he was telling some awful truth.

"I'm going to be **very** upset if I don't get any grandchildren." His mother adds. All he can do is throw his hands up and turn back to the screen.

Something must have been different because he couldn't be that dumb... could he?

* * *

Bilba sets the plates in her hands in front of Dori and Ori before sitting down next to them. Nori places a plate in front of her before sitting himself.

"It's nice to meet you both uncle Dori, uncle Ori." She says brightly. "Adad talked about you all the time."

"He did?" Asks Ori with a smile of his own while Dori looks skeptical. She smiles happily as she retells tales that all three of them told her the last time. 

By the time she's done she realizes that Ori is crying and Dori is blank faced. "Uncle Ori! What's wrong?!" he sobs louder at being called uncle and drags her into his lap for cuddles.

Dori gets up and calmly walks around the table until he's standing in front of Nori who looks just as panicked as her at what's happening. "Dori..." He starts only to be yanked up and into a hug of his own, Dori clings to Nori and buries his head in his hair. He must says something because Nori slumps in his hold. " _Me too._ " He whispers before hugging Dori back just as furiously. It takes a little for them all to calm down enough to notice that they have a crowd. "What?" Nori hisses sending most of them politely running away. 

Thorin and Dwalin stay. Dwalin comes over and puts a comforting hand on Ori's shoulder much to Dori and Nori's displeasure. Thorin gently puts his forehead against Nori's. "Are you okay?" Thorin asks making Nori smile a tad.

"Always my one. Time to leave?" Nori asks.

"Yes, lets go home." Thorin answers.

And so the company of Thorin Oakenshield set of on an quest to slay a dragon and take back a mountain. Too bad for them that Lobelia Sackville-Baggins had heard about Bilba signing Bag End over to Kayla and was waiting just outside ready to raise hell.


	14. Chapter 14

Bilba opens her door to leave and is faced with the entire Shire, she blinks in shock as Lobelia sneers at her. "See!" Lobelia screeches as she turns to her grandfather. "I told you!"

Bilba sighs and turns to Kayla and her nightmares. "You okay?"

"Yes auntie Bilba, Miss Sackville-Baggins is just being mean again." Allowin says as he jumps up and hugs her.

"She's mad 'cause your goin' on an adventure an she's not." Devin adds with a mischievous smile while she grips her mothers hand.

"And that you gave mommy your smial." Pepin laughs.

"It's mine!" Allowin says in an imitation of Lobelia's voice.

"I earned it!" Pepin pipes up as well.

"How dare that Harlot give it to someone else!" Devin grins.

"Devin!" Kayla says sharply.

"But Miss Sackville-Baggins said it!" Devin whines as she tugs on her mothers hand.

"And what have I said about copying Miss Sackville-Baggins?" Kayla says making all three fauns sag dramatically.

"Never repeat what she says because most of it is hogwash." They say together making some of the dwarves snicker while Lobelia screeches.

"That's right. Now Bilba, may I come in so we can do introductions?"

"Sure." She says stepping aside and letting the four hobbits in, Lobelia tries to follow but she slams the door in her face.

* * *

"So these are Dwalin and Balin who are brothers." She points to the dwarves in question who bow slightly whilst trying to ignore Lobelia's screeching from outside. "Óin, Glóin and Gimli. Óin and Glóin are brothers, Glóin is Gimli's father." They bow, Lobelia starts banging on the door. "Next we have Bofur, Bombur, brothers, and their uncle Bifur." The nightmares light up.

"Your Bofur?! The one who makes all of the toys?!" Pepin cries in happiness. "They're the best!" Allowin and Devin nod along with bright smiles which make Borfur beam.

"I'm glad you like 'em little ones. It's always a joy to see ones craft enjoyed." Thorin's eyes flicker to her kitchen fondly.

"These are uncle Dori, uncle Ori, adad and Thorin. Dori, Ori and adad are all brothers and Thorin is adad's husband." 

Kayla raises an eyebrow at that while Ori beams. "If she had a living parent why was she left to her own devices for so long." Kayla says as she glares at Nori.

"Assassination attempts, political sabotage, royal weddings, not wanting to deal with a tween pregnancy and not having enough power to steal your crown princess as well as keep her." Nori says casually, Kayla watches him for a moment before nodding stiffly and turning back to Bilba.

" _Crown Princess..._ " Thorin whispers before turning on Gandalf with an angry expression.

"Last we have Fili and Kili who are brothers and Thorin's nephews. Fili is my heart." Kayla blinks as they bow.

"At at your service." They both say with a cheeky smile and a bow of their own. 

Kayla blinks again then turns to Nori. "I understand your worry."

"See!" He says tugging Thorin out of his growling. "She gets it!"

Bilba sighs.

* * *

While Nori is enjoying meeting Kayla (his daughters unofficial mother in all the best ways.) he knows that they need to leave, they're already late as is so he decides to go outside and sort out the mess on his daughters front porch... okay, that's a lie. He couldn't care about timings to be honest, he just really wants to yell at the lady hobbit his daughter complained about so much during their last trip to the mountain. He slips out while all but the three pebbles are distracted, he puts a finger to his lips and they giggle while they nod.

He opens and closes the door fast enough to stop the sound increase then rolls his shoulders and falls into 'royal mode.' "Silence!" all sound stops. "Who here is in charge?" He asks.

The screechy woman, Loba or something, opens her mouth but is cut off by an elderly man. "I am Mr Dwarf..."

"Queen." Nori says to cut him off. He's making the claim a little early but it's not like they'll ever find out.

"I'm sorry?" The old man says in confusion.

"My title." Nori states wit a sharp smile. "I am Queen Nori of Erebor."

"Oh..." He says, Labelo(?) looks pale. She must not have been planning to say anything nice. "Thain Gerontius Took." 

"Well meet." Nori intones. "Now that's sorted out I want to know why there is a crowd surrounding my daughters home?" No one speaks. "Well? You must have some sort of reason seeing as you're all standing here like stone statues."

"Y... You're her father?" Labella(?) says with a slow forming smirk. "Bilba is a bastard then! She has no claim on Bag End and..."

"Excuse you?" Nori hisses shutting the woman up. "If you must know," He tone very must implied that she didn't making her shrink a tad. "I adopted Bilba when she was a tiny little thing with her parents permission." He turns his eyes to Gerontius. "My condolences."

"They... gave you permission." The old woman at Gerontius' side asks tearfully.

"Yes and now that Bilba is of age I've come to take her home. She asked that I wait this long so that she could find someone to give her home to, someone who **deserves** it." He glares at Lobelia(?) until she shrinks back. "If you want to say goodbye stay if not leave." He says as he turns back to get the company.

"I am the one in charge here Queen Nori." Gerontius growls, Nori throws a smirk over his shoulder.

"I couldn't care less who you are Thain Gerontius Took. Your people are in the way of the road, if they want to be trampled on by ponies then be my guest." He turns back to see the door to his daughters home open, Thorin stands there looking at him in that same possessive way that always seems to send shivers down his spine. The others are behind him. " _My King_ , glad you could join me. Shall we go?"

Thorin's eyes sharpen with want. "We shall _my queen_. Dwalin, clear a path. Miss Longriver, thank you for entertaining us in **_your home_**."

"Of course King Thorin, it was a pleasure having you all. Have a safe trip Bilba, I expect a letter once you arrive." Kayla says politely.

"I will." His pebble promises softly.

* * *

Bilba smiles and says goodbye to everyone, making sure to hug all of the fauns. But she makes her farewells quick because she knows that they are on a time limit. All to soon she's atop Tina and on her way to Bree with her company, she waits to speak until she's well away from the Shire.

"Did you really need to do that adad?" Nori turns and smirks at her making her scowl.

"Of course my darling. Once we retake Erebor yelling at fools will be one of my queenly jobs, might as well get the practice now. In fact you should join me, you'll be queen of Erebor when I and your father-in-law are gone." Bilba huffs and slows her pony so she can melt into the rest of the company causing Nori to laugh.

"So... who made your axe?" Fili asks as he parks his pony next to hers.

"Gimli." He smiles and nods but she can tell that he already new that. She finds it cute that he's trying to make small talk. "You carry a lot of blades yourself. Who made those?"

He smile turns into a smirk. "I did, would you like a closer look?" 

She nods and he hands her a [dagger](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/162551867784163102/) from his waist. " _This is beautiful._ " She whispers as she gently turns it over in her hands. "The craftsmanship is amazing as well." She offers it back to him but he closes her hand around it.

"Keep it. I cannot shower you in all of the gems and gold you deserve yet but I can still start our courtship off right." 

She blinks up at him. "Your not scared of adad?" She asks, he'd seemed pretty afraid this morning.

Fili laughs softly so not to draw attention. "Oh I am, uncle Nori is very scary but his rule was only about the creation of little ones. He said nothing about courting nor anything about us..." His smirk grows a tad and he leans towards her. "practicing for the main event." 

"Oh..." Okay, that wasn't fair! How in Yavanna's name did he become suave?!

" _ **Keep it.**_ " He purrs.

"Okay" she finds herself saying before her brain connects. His smile is smug as he spurs his pony forward to catch up to Kili who is extremely exited for Fili if the wide smiles he sends her are any indication.

She looks at the dagger in her hand and feels very out of her depth all of a sudden.

* * *

"Oh thank Mahal." Fili cries out as he watches his living counterpart. "He's not a complete idiot."

"Grandpa Nori is going to kill you." Frodo says.

"Not if he never finds out." Fili points out.

Frodo waits a moment then looks him in the eye. "Grandpa Nori is going to **kill you.** "

Fili sighs. "Yeah, your probably right."

* * *

They arrived at Bree by nightfall though the lights for the Ye Olde Goat Inn still shone from the windows. Thorin wanted to continue but Nori reminded him that this would be the last chance they had to sleep in an actual bed for a while then he called Thorin his king again and suddenly the ponies were being lead to the stables for the night. 

It was quite easy for them to get rooms their own size which was nice and Bilba ended up with a room of her own since she was the only girl. She had been sitting on the bed for about 10 minutes trying to sort out the quest timeline in her head when someone knocks on her door. 

She opens the door and can't help but lightly laugh. "You really want to die don't you?"

"I don't." Fili says as he leans against the doorway. "But what a way to go if I did."

She laughs again. "You sure you can out sneak adad?" She asks playfully making him smirk.

"Very sure my one." He leans in and stops an inch from her.

"Prove it." She purrs then drags him to her lips, he picks her up and kicks shut her door.

* * *

As soon as the door shuts the screen blinks off. "Fili!" His mother yells, scandalized.

"It wasn't me!" He says because it was true, he hadn't shared a bed with Bilba until lake town last time. Though is had taken him until the cells in Mirkwood to get her to accept his courting gift so he supposes the sped up timeline could be because of that.

His mother rants and raves until the screen clicks back on showing him climbing out her window like a theif, his living self pulls Bilba into a kiss before disappearing. A few moments later Nori is knocking on the door to inform Bilba that it was time for breakfast.

" _Good job pebble._ " uncle Frerin whispers making him smirk. Maybe living him isn't such a fool after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question.  
> Should I write a smut exert for Fili and Bilba's night together or should I just skip to the next morning?


	15. Chapter 15

**Khuzdul**

* * *

Bilba wakes to calloused fingers running softly over the scar on her side, she can't help but smile into the chest she was using as a pillow. "I thought you were trying to out sneak adad?" She asks sleepily.

"I still have time yet." Fili rumbles.

"The fact that you believe that means that you've already lost." She says then laughs when he pouts.

"If you must know I had planned to leave in the middle of the night and re-join Kili in our room but it occurred to me that we wouldn't get the chance to do this again for a while so I decided to enjoy it for as long as I could." His voice is ruff with sleep and it makes heat pool in her gut. "I also had a question for you."

"Oh? What is it that you wish to know?" She asks whilst keeping an ear out, it was one thing for Nori to know what had happened (and she had no doubt that he knew) but it was an entirely different matter for him to walk in and see it.

His fingers still on her scar and she braces herself for the question about it. "What is your favorite color?"

She blinks up at him in shock. "My favorite... color?"

"Yes. I have found that I know some big things about you but nothing of the little things. I plan to ask you a question every morning with the hope that by the time we get to Erebor we will know each other completely." He says with passion.

She melts, how can she not when he said things like that? "... Blue, one of the darker shades. I've always found myself drawn to it." She says truthfully, she had loved the color even before she knew it was the color of the Durin line. "What about you crown prince? What is your favorite color?"

He chuckles at the use of his title before he answers. "It has changed from what it was before." He admits softly. "Before we started this quest I liked the shade of red found in pure Rhodochrosite but now..." He meets her eyes and the look in them is heated. "Now I find myself drawn to the molten gold that swims in your eyes."

Unfair. Bilba was finding out very fast that everything about Fili was extremely unfair. Like the fact that he chose this moment to say that! How dare he time it so poorly. "Nori's coming." She warns reluctantly. The heat in his eyes are doused as he quickly gets up and pulls on his trousers. They speed dress then Fili hops out the window like an idiot. " _What are you doing?!_ " She whisper yells.

"I can't go out the door my one." He chuckles before dragging her into a kiss. "I'll see you downstairs." He says before he jumps to the next window ledge. If he survives this she's going to beat him to death.

"Bilba! First Breakfast!" Nori calls as he knocks on the door.

"Coming adad!"

* * *

First breakfast is a wild affair as it was last time but now Bilba finds herself right in the middle of the group laughing along instead of sitting on the side trying to ignore them. Songs of joy were shouted at the tops of lungs in Khuzdul causing all of the people outside their company confusion (and Gandalf, she loved that she knew a language he didn't) and Nori even managed drag Thorin into a dance, she supposed that Nori had been a good influence on him or this was how he behaved when he wasn't trying to freeze her out. She was enjoying the whole thing until Nori scooped her up and dropped her onto the table they were all sitting at (not Gandalf, Thorin was still mad at him). He smirks up at her and she realizes that he's trying to brake the fact that she can speak and understand Khuzdul to the company while they are filled with joy, he's really set on being transparent about a lot of their secrets this time around.

She gives him a playful glare before she opens her mouth and sings the next song, one she finds highly amusing that she hopes doesn't offend them. " **Brothers of the mine rejoice! Swing, swing, swing with me. Raise your pick and raise your voice! Sing, sing, sing with me.** " She sings brightly, the company stop for a moment then they break into cheers. " **Down and down into the deep, who knows what we'll find beneath? Diamonds, Rubies, Gold and more, hidden in the mountain store.** " Gandalf sits frozen as Fili jumps onto the table and drags her into a wild dance.

" **Born underground, suckled from a teat of stone. Raised in the dark, the safety of our mountain home,** " Fili sings back at her as he twirls her around making her laugh, she hasn't had this much fun in decades! " **skin made of iron, steel in our bones, to dig and dig makes us free. Come on brothers sing with me!** " Fili shouts to the company who all take a deep breath, she can see the bartender close her eyes in pain but she hardly cares.

" **I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE!** " They all cheer loudly as they dance, clap their hands and stamp their feet. " **I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE!** " 

She picked up the song as soon as the last word left their lips. " **The sunlight won't reach this low. Deep, deep in the mine. Never seen the blue moon glow. Dwarrow won't fly so high. Fill a glass and down some mead! Stuff your bellies at the feast! Stumble home and fall asleep dreaming of our mountain keep.** "

" **Born underground, grown inside a rocky womb. The earth is our cradle; the mountain shall become our tomb.** " Dwalin grabs Ori and drags him into a dance as Fili sings. Nori leans into Thorin gently with a pleased smile. " **Faces on the battlefield; you will meet your doom. We do not fear what lies beneath. We can never dig to deep!** " Fili pulls her closer with a bright smile that she returns.

  
" **I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE!** " The others chant while they dance merrily.

" **Born underground, suckled from a teat of stone. Raised in the dark, the safety of our mountain home! Skin made of iron, steel in our bones. To dig and dig makes us free.** " She sings. " **Come on brothers sing with me!** "

" **I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE! I AM A DWARF AND I'M DIGGING A HOLE! DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE. DIGGY, DIGGY HOLE!** " She can't help but laugh when the song ends, right before Fili drags her into a kiss.

"You know Khuzdul." Fili says breathlessly after they part.

"Adad taught me." She admits softly. "If I was going to live in a mountain of dwarrow then I was going to learn the language."

"Too right my pebble!" Nori laughs as he pulls her down, she goes easily and hugs him.

"As lovely as that was we should all be off." Gandalf interrupts.

Thorin sighs. "He is right, does everyone have their packs." Everyone nods. "Then we shall take our leave, thank you for hosting us." He says to the bartender who just sighs and waves him off.

They set off and Bilba mentally prepares herself for the week of rain.

* * *

Fili is over the moon as his ancestors laugh and sing along behind him. His one knew Khuzdul well enough to sing one of their miners songs without pause, most non miners couldn't even do that!

"I approve." His mother says next to him.

"You already approved." He points out.

"True but I was not just talking about your one." She nods to where Frodo is dancing with Kili, perfect Khuzdul leaving his lips as well. "Your son is quite the delight."

"He's not..." He starts but can't seem to finish, it feels wrong to deny the claim since he'd been just as invested in Frodo growing up happy as Bilba from the start. Even if he had only been able to watch from afar.... this was a semi distressing thing to learn.

"I'm proud of you Fili." His mother says as she kisses his forehead.

* * *

No amount of mental preparation could actually prepare Bilba for how miserable the week was, time had obviously dulled the memories and she was **prepared** this time! The only thing that made up for it were Fili's adorable questions.

"what do you like to do on slow days?"

"What is your favorite type of meat?"

"What other dwarven songs do you know?"

"Can you teach me a few hobbit songs?

"Is there a type of metal you prefer?"

"Do you know the language of gems?"

"Can you teach me the language of flowers?"

She would be slightly suspicious about it all if he didn't answer them all just as easily. The night they finally stopped for camp she didn't even care that they were right next to the trolls.

* * *

Bilba pets Tina as Thorin and Gandalf argue. Even knowing what was about to happen she was more inclined to put herself in Thorin's camp on this one solely for the fact that she was still terribly mad at Gandalf. It ends with Gandalf storming off once again but this time she doesn't try to stop him. 

"Come on Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin grumbles. Everyone falls into their respective jobs like they've spent ages doing it, another difference to before is now she does the same. She hands Tina off to Bifur and heads for the surrounding woods. "Bilba! Where are you going?" Thorin calls making her pause.

"I'm going foraging, there are several mushrooms in the area that are edible and the more we have to eat the better." She says simply, before it would have been drenched in sass but he's her step father now and she actually respects him.

"Alone? We don't know the dangers of this area yet, pick someone to go with you. You'll be able to carry more back that way too." Wow, it was some much easier with Thorin on her side.

"Adad do you want to come? It would be a good time for us to catch up." 

"Of course my pebble." Nori says easily before kissing Thorin's cheek. "We'll be right back."

* * *

Nori was having a great start to this quest (rain not included). It lifted a dreadful weight in his chest to see Thorin treating Bilba so well and to finally mend the bridge between his brothers. 

"So what are we going to do about the trolls?" Bilba asks softly when they were far enough away from camp. He couldn't help but smile, his practical little girl.

"I had thought that you we're planning to take care of them now but your actually foraging." He says as he crouches next to her to gather some of the mushrooms.

"If we do that then we won't have a good reason to find the trolls cave." She points out.

"Hmm, true. How about we volunteer to watch the ponies instead then deal with them then?"

"You think the two of us can take on three fully grown trolls by ourselves?" Bilba asks, he gives her a look that makes her laugh. "Fine adad but if Thorin finds out I'm blaming you."

They fill up their arms and make it back to camp where the start of a fire is going, Bombur is very pleased with their haul. More so when Fili and Kili return with five rabbits. Nori finds it cute that Bilba and Fili end up skinning and quartering the rabbits together. "Me and Bilba still have some things to catch up on darling, do you mind if we take first watch of the ponies?" He asks Thorin when he leans into his side briefly.

"So long as you both sleep at some point tonight." Thorin rumbles. "I will not have you both falling off your ponies when we travel tomorrow."

Nori can't help but laugh. "Wouldn't be very queenly would it my king?"

Thorin growls into his ear then pushes himself away. "Bilba! you and Nori are on the first pony watch!"

Bilba looks up and nods before handing the last rabbit to Fili with a smile and getting up. "Okay!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's been a while, a lot has happened in my personal life the past few days. Things that are still going on but I'm going to try to update more often, maybe not every day like before but more.


	16. Chapter 16

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin  _

* * *

They had a plan. It was a good one too but really, everyone knew what to expect by now when plans where said in the same sentence as Bilba,

"HEY UGLY!" She shouts as Bert holds Nori up by his ankle. All eyes snap to her as she draws the string of her bow back. "Catch!" She lets the arrow fly, it hits Bert in the eye and he drops Nori with a loud wail. There is no way the rest of the company didn't hear that, damn it. 

She quickly notched another arrow as she dances out of the way of Tom. "Are you insane!" Nori growls as he rolls away from Bert's stamping feet. "We had a PLAN!"

She fires at William then drops her bow and grabs her axe. "He was going to eat you!" She shouts as she swings at Tom, he howls as she separates his right foot from his body. "What was I supposed to do?! Let him!"

Nori hurtles a knife into Berts other eye, blinding him. "Maybe do something other than ANNOUNCING YOUR PRESENCE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE!" He yells "Have I taught you nothing!"

"It worked on the wolves!" She protests as her axe sinks into Tom's other leg.

"I'm sorry, WHAT!" Nori snarls as Tom falls, she makes quick work of beheading him. Two left. "You've done something this stupid before?!"

She opens her mouth to retort but is cut off. "Bilba!" Her eyes snap to the shout and her eyes meet Fili's shocked ones, it only happens for a second but that's all the time William needs to swat her into a tree. "BILBA!"

Everything hurts and her ears ring but she still pushes herself up. "That all you got?!" She taunts making William snarl and turn away from the others, she readies her axe but it turns out that she didn't need to. As soon as William's back is turned Fili launches himself at him, blades cutting into the troll faster than she can see. The others join in and within minutes William and Bert join Bert.

"Bilba?" Fili asks worriedly as he cups her face. "Are you okay?"

"'m fine Fili." She mumbles.

"I'll be the judge of that." Óin says as he moves Fili out of the way. "Let me take a look at you lass."

This is how she ends up sitting with Óin and Fili checking her over while the others checked the troll cave over, everyone including Gandalf who had turned up randomly. Nori storms over with sting.

"Now, why don't you tell me about these **wolves** you mentioned." There was no room for argument. Bilba had never been so happy to see Radagast the Brown in her lives.

* * *

"Mark my words Bilba, we are going to be talking about this!" Nori growls as they run from the wargs.

"Not the time adad!" She calls back really wishing she hadn't left her bow with the trolls, she blames the fuzziness of her head.

"This way! Come on!" Galdalf calls, redirecting them for the third time. 

They keep running, her side screams, her vision blurs, her ears ring. The only thing currently keeping her going is the promise she made to Fili all those years ago. The tunnel comes into view and she sighs in relief, they were safe. She's almost into it when she spots a warg about to tackle Kili from the side, he's to busy keeping the ones in front of him at bay to notice so when he fires his next arrow she shoves him into the tunnel. The warg slams into her making her vision swim further but she doesn't have time to worry, she takes the dagger Fili gave her and plunges it into it's skull. She manages to roll into the tunnel as Elrond and his hunters come out but she blacks out before she hits the bottom.

She awakes to the cry of a new born faun. Confusion sinks into her as she blinks awake, there hadn't been any new borns to the Shire this year... had there? It is then that she recognizes where she is, she bolts up then clutches her head as a sharp pain passes through her mind.

"Welcome back Bilba, your dwarrow are terribly worried about you." She turns to the voice and can't help but smile.

"Alyssa! It has been so long." Then she notices the bundle in Alyssa's arms. "Who's this?" She asks making Alyssa beam.

"This." She says softly as she shuffles over. "This is my daughter, Celebrían" The little half-hobbit blinks up at Bilba with a curious expression before she giggles. Bilba melts, who wouldn't.

" _She's beautiful_." Bilba whispers.

"I know." Alyssa agrees easily. "Now drink this." She points to a vial sitting on the table beside the bed she was sitting on. "And come on. I know for a fact that one of your dwarrow is your heart and I'm feeling a tad mean." The look on Alyssa's face was nothing short of wicked. It makes Bilba laugh so hard that she almost chokes on the vials contents, once she's swallowed it she realizes that her head is clear of pain.

* * *

Bilba looks at the [dress](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/240942648801206148/) that Alyssa put her in with worry, she knows what Alyssa is planning but is too elvish? The last thing she wants is to offend Fili during the two weeks they are going to have a bed, she's actually a tad annoyed that he's become so addicting.

"I need to ask you a favor." Alyssa says softly after the elf maid took a sleeping Celebrían off to bed, leaving them both alone.

"What is it?" She asks just as softly.

Alyssa's eyes dart around to make sure that they are truly alone before she leans in. "There is a child of man in these halls. I need you to take him with you when you leave."

Bilba blinks. " A child of... Alyssa. What is going on?" She asks worriedly, she knows who Alyssa is talking about of course but what had changed to prompt this?

"He's like you." She says in a rush, Bilba's heart stops. "Has the same need to leave, to be out there. More so now that I've told him about you." Bilba can't help but sag a little at that, Alyssa didn't know. Thank Yavanna. "He's important Bilba, he's very important but I know that nothing is going to stop him from running off to right the worlds wrongs and..."

"And you want me to make sure he finds his way back?" She asks Alyssa kindly.

"Yes, myself and Grace have watched over him since he arrived and I..." Alyssa doesn't finish but she doesn't need to, Bilba had the same attachment to Frodo after all.

"I'll do it and if some of my dwarrow find themselves... distracted every so often then I'd think us even." Alyssa bursts into laughter.

"Done! Now lets go meet him! I'm sure he's going to love this."

* * *

"Estel!" Alyssa calls as she enters one of the bed rooms, Bilba watches him flinch awake and fling a dagger. She catches it inches from her face. "Yavanna! Are you okay?!" Alyssa frets. "I am so sorry, he didn't mean it! I shouldn't have woken him so suddenly and..."

"It's find Alyssa" She chuckles before turning to the tween. "You have good aim." She says as she tosses the dagger back, he catches it easily.

"Who are you?" He asks as he sits up, the dagger going back under his pillow.

"Bilba Baggins, at your service." She says, amusement swimming in her eyes as he quickly straitens himself out. "I believe we have a quest to discuss young master Estel."

"Really?!" His eyes snap to Alyssa and she can see the understanding grow in them. "I suppose we do." He mutters making her laugh.

* * *

Dis (The living) stands by the her fireplace with a mug of ale in her hands. Worry grips her heart in a vice like grip, not a new feeling really as she'd been feeling this way since her little pebbles informed her that they wished to go on her brothers suicidal quest. Her hatred for Tharkûn grows every time she thinks about it. Her fingers tighten, the mug cracks, her fingers start to get wet. She can't tell if its blood or ale, she's long lost the distinction between the two.

" **Princess Dis** " She turns from the flames and places the mug down.

" **Yes Furik, what is it.** " She asks the guard.

" **Lady Kayla is here with her pebbles, she has asked to speak to you.** " 

Dis tilts her head in confusion. " **The trader carts aren't supposed to be here for another three months. Are they hurt?** "

" **No my princess.** "

" **Alright, send them up. Mahal knows I need a distraction.** " Furik nods and leaves, Dis busies herself by tidying up and making sure that all her ale is out of the reach of little hands. 10 minutes later Furik is showing Kayla and her pebbles in. "Well met Kayla, well met little ones. I was told you wished to speak to me?"

"Well met princess Dis." Kayla says then lightly nudges her pebbles.

"Well met princess Dis." They all echo, it reminds her of when Fili and Kili were small and forced to be polite to the lords.

"Do you know of a dwarf by the name of Fili." Kayla asks, strait to the point. "Tall, blonde, somewhat princely?"

"He's my son." Dis says stiffly, fear gripping her heart. Had something happened to him? Was Kili alright? If Thorin had already gotten her babies killed she was going to fucking skin him! "Has something happened?"

"Oh no." Kayla assures. "Nothing has happened other than the discovery of him being Mistress Baggins heart." Dis' world screeches to a halt. Bilba. Bilba was Fili's heart, the bright little thing that had saved more dwarven lives than she could ever know by simply being a good person... The bright little thing who had sat right in frount of her for **hours**! She felt like a fool!

"You are hobbits?!" How had none of them asked exactly which race they had been trading with for over a decade?!

"... Did you not know?" Kayla asks before her eyes narrow. "How did you make the connection?" Dis recognizes the look of suspicious mother a mile away, she sits back and tells Kayla of the story Thorin had told her so many years ago.

* * *

Dis (The living) watches Kayla calmly sip her tea after her story. No one had every really been able to get a read on Kayla with how emotionally dead she always was so Dis had no clue how she'd take the news.

"I do remember this." Kayla mutters before she sets the cup down. "How dangerous is the quest that they are on?" She asks Dis and Dis can't find it in herself to lie. Both of them are worried mothers and at the end of this they will hopefully be sisters by marriage.

"They plan to steal from the hoard of the dragon who stole our mountain and slaughtered a good portion of our people." Dis admits, she hates it more now that she's said it out loud.

Kayla sighs tiredly. "Of course they are, Bilba can never do things the easy way." Kayla must see the confused look on Dis' face because she clarifies. "In hobbit courting customs there are two sides. One side gives gifts to the other to show that they can provide, a task I'm sure your son has taken due to your own courting customs. The other side, at the end of the courtship, has to provide the home." The weight of Kayla's words hangs in the air for a moment before Dis finally realizes what she means.

"Bilba is planning to kill the dragon so she can give Fili Erebor!"

* * *

All of Bilba's worrying about her outfit are dashed at the look on Fili's face when he sees her, dark and possessive. She smiles innocently at him while Alyssa snickers behind her, she doesn't have the chance to go over though because Grace throws herself into her arms with a bright smile.

"Grace!" She says happily as she spins the other lady hobbit. "I have missed you so."

" _She has missed you too, as have I._ " Elrohir says as he comes over.

" _WE._ " Elladan adds. " _We have missed you._ " 

She laughs brightly. " _And I you. Have you two been up to much mischief?_ " She asks before a growl starts up behind her. Their eyes light up as they flicker behind her.

" _We're about to._ " They both say cheekily before reaching for her, suddenly, she's being dragged from the room while the twins smirk at her.

"Fili!" She cries out shocked. "What are you doi...humrph!" He silences her by pinning her to a wall and kissing her. The kiss is hard and ruff but she melts into it all the same. "Wha.."

" **Mine!** " He growls, Yavanna that was hot. Why was that so hot? He kisses her again instead of letting her answer. Well then, she guesses that she's missing dinner.

* * *

Fili glares at the screen. How dare those tree-shagger try and touch **his one**! While they were married to her friends as well! Had they no shame!

"Why do you find this so funny?!" He demands as his eyes move from the screen to Frodo who had spent the whole exchange snickering.

"Because they tricked you uncle Fili." He laughs out. "They were trying to find out which one of you was her heart and you fell for it." 

Fili wants to be mad, he really does but his mind is stuck on the fact that Frodo had called him uncle. His mother meets his eyes with a smirk and he scowls which makes Frodo laugh more. He's being bullied!


	17. Chapter 17

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin  _

* * *

"So your telling us that you think Mistress Baggins is planning to kill Smaug as a _**courting** _gift?!" Dremrim (The temporary head of the merchants guild while Balin was on the blasted quest) exclaims. "Surly she's not that much of a fool?!" He asks.

"I have been informed by lady Kayla that at 20 she took on a warg and 7 wolves during a dead winter." Dis says making many of them gasp. "As mush as I hate it her deciding to take on a dragon to give her one back his home doesn't seem to far fetched." Dis can understand why they were all so upset, dwarrow were a loyal race and Bilba had proven herself worth that loyalty the day she stepped into their mountain. She (and the guild leaders) had hoped that she would find her one in their mountain for years and the news that she would be the next queen due to her one being Fili had been met with cheers.

"And his majesty hasn't tried to stop her?!." Shouts Thrurlen (Head of the masonries guild) as she rings her hands.

"Mistress Baggins is a very good actor and it's unlikely she's told anyone." Kayla says softly as she watches her pebbles play nearby. "Her father told no one when he began digging out the home needed to complete his courtship after all. It's still talked about as the hight of romance all these years later."

"And you didn't think to warn them?" Asks Glurvim (Head of the smiths guild) as he sets his mug of ale down.

"I was not informed of what the quest they were going on was, only that her adad had come to take her to Erebor now that she was of age." The others grumble at that but don't lay the blame at Kayla's feet any longer.

"Well nothing for it I guess." Mhubok (Head of the rogues guild) says as he pushes himself up. "We shall just have to stop her before she kills herself. I will send for my guild members to gather their families and prepare for the trip."

"... I think I shall as well if we are all going." Krom (Head of the miners guild) says brightly as she brushes herself off, her expression then closes off a tad. "Two more mines collapsed last night, it is only luck that I decided to send those teams home early. I pulled the rest of them out this morning when I found out, I think Ered Luin is about to dry." Everyone becomes somber at that, if the mountain dries then they will have nothing to make money with. It would be the beginning of the end.

Dis watches them all knowing that for all of the talk they have made about leaving she will be the one who ends up deciding. She closes her eyes and sends a prayer to Mahal before she opens them again. "Gather everyone and explain that we will be making the move to Erebor early. I want the mountain cleared by the end of the week."

"I, and I'm sure quite a few hobbits, would like to join you if we could." Kayla says before they all leave. "Bilba is quite important to us and from what I have heard there is quite a lot of unclaimed land around Erebor we could settle into."

"Of course" Dis says with a smile, the sentiment echoed by her guild heads.

"We will see them delivered safely." Drego (Head of the guards while Dwalin was on the quest) says with a bow. 

Then they all left. "Will you be staying here or will you go ahead?" Dis asks.

"I'll go ahead. Try and get everyone ready by the time you arrive, we are already three months behind. Six by the time you get to the Shire. Here, I have a map for you." Kayla hands over the very detailed map before scooping her pebbles up and leaving as well.

Dis sighs again before she too gets up to get ready. A week really wasn't enough time but they were on a tight time limit as Kayla had pointed out.

* * *

Bilba ends up eating dinner with everyone, not because she wants to. She would have been more that happy to drag Fili to their rooms. She ends up going because Nori appears out of no where and throws her over his shoulder on his way to the dinning hall without breaking his stride. It's terribly embarrassing, more so when he plops her down next to Elrond like a naughty faun.

"Hello again Bilba." Elrond says as he nods to her, his face is blank but she's known him long enough to tell that he was very amused.

"Again?" Thorin rumbles with narrowed eyes, Gandalf also looks curious.

"I was here for the wedding of my friends if you must know." She huffs before smiling sweetly at Elrond. " _It is good to see you again, have my girls been good?_ "

Thorin, Nori and Gandalf look surprised when Elrond laughs, she takes it as a point of pride. " _Not at all though I believe that is what drew my son to them in the first place. Have you met Celebrían?_ " He asks with all his attention on her. She notes the spark of mischief in his eyes and realizes that's he's ignoring the others on purpose.

" _I have! She's just darling, named after your wife right?_ " Bilba says brightly, willing to play along.

" _Yes. It was very moving to hear when I was told. You raised them well._ " 

" _Trust me, I didn't do much_."

" _Thranduil seems to think so and he's very hard to please, though that might be more to do with them being your named daughters than anything else. Whatever you talked about when you met endeared you to him quite a bit._ " It's clearly a question about what she and Thranduil talked about but she wasn't given a chance to answer even if she wanted to, Thorin's anger at the very mention of Thranduil rearing it's head.

" **What does that bastard have to do with anything?** " He hisses angrily.

Elrond raises an eyebrow slightly, clearly understanding Thorin but choosing to pretend he doesn't. " **Nothing Thorin, we were just talking about my friends double wedding to Elrond's twin sons.** " Bilba says softly, it placates Thorin who lets go of some of his anger. When he's calmed again she turns back to Elrond who now seems amused. " _We had a nice chat about heart songs and star writing._ " She says, it's not a lie so she doesn't feel bad about it. She then changes the subject because she can tell that both of them still have questions and she really doesn't want to answer them. "We found some elvish blades in a troll cave just before the wargs and orcs were upon us. Would you look at them?"

Elrond raises his eyebrow again but doesn't press the issue. Thorin hands over his sword a tad reluctantly. "This is Orkest the goblin-cleaver. A famous blade forged by the high elves of the west, my kin. May it serve you well." He says before handing it back, Thorin nods at him as he takes it. Gandalf hands his over next. "This is Glamdring the foehammer sword. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the first age." Gandalf nods as well as Elrond hands the sword back. "I saw your sword briefly when you were brought in but by the look of it I think it might be of the same make as the others, would you allow me to see it?" He asks as he reaches out towards her, she blinks once then hands Sting over. He looks fond as he looks it over. "Ah! This is Sting the slayer of Children of Ungoliant. A truly remarkable blade." She sits frozen as he correctly names her sword. He hands it back to her. "There is a legend about one of fay blood using it to slay a number of the Children of Ungoliant in Mirkwood before going to battle against orcs in a great war. I believe it finding itself back in the hands of your kind is no coincidence." He says softly, he knows!

" _Fay blood. Really? That's what your going with?_ " She says with a raised eyebrow. He blinks once before it clicks.

" _You forget._ " He says as he leans towards her. " _That I knew your parents Bilba, I know more about the contents of your blood than I recon you do **Fay-born.**_ " Gandalf looks at them both with suspicion, as does Nori but that's more to do with him trying to figure out if Elrond came back with them or if Sting had always been called Sting. 

" _I'm hardly...._ " She starts only to be cut off when Bofur gets onto his table and starts singing. She can't help but laugh at Elrond's look of horror, it would seem that he had forgotten this part of their stay.

* * *

The rest of the day went as it had the first time. Gandalf bullied Thorin into showing Elrond the map, Elrond told Thorin that if he wanted to know what it said he would have to stay in Rivendell for two weeks, Thorin wasn't impressed about that at all. The only difference was that Nori was there whispering in Thorin's ear making him agree faster and that Elrond insisted that she stay behind at the end of the meeting. Balin was weary but wasn't about to go toe to toe with the Lord of Rivendell so at her nod he herded an unhappy and Nori out of the room. Gandalf tried to stay but Elrond chased him out with the mention of the The White Council.

" _So you have come back as well my old friend._ " He says fondly once they are alone. " _Or should I say that you came back and brought the others with you?_ "

She huffs. " _And how exactly do you figure I did that?_ "

He laughs and pulls out a jug of elven wine as well as two glasses. " _I would not have guessed you to be the catalyst if your parents hadn't done the exact same thing. It is them who **I** came back with after all._"

She has to open and close her mouth several times before she finally finds the words. " _What?! They came back? How?_ "

" _The same way you did I presume my friend. Use of your natural Fay time magics._ "

" _Fay Time Magics?!_ " He hands her a glass and she downs it making him laugh.

" _Of course, you didn't think just anyone could decide to do everything again did you?_ " He downs his own glass before toping them both up. " _Let me tell you a story about two very determined Fay-born hobbits._ "

* * *

Once upon a time there was a lady hobbit named Belladonna Took. She was the third daughter of Gerontius Took and his favored out of her eleven siblings though she loathed her title. Her spirit was wild and free as the blood of her fay ancestors was quite strong in her, she knew that she would loath the boring nature of being the twenty-seventh Thain of the Shire so when Gandalf came passing through she ran to catch up with him.

Meeting Elrond had been the second best thing about the trip. (The first being how easily Gandalf believed everything she told him about hobbits, most of which weren't true at all.) He was kind as well as understanding and when he learned about how deeply her blood ran in the echos of a race long lost he made a point to teach her how to keep herself in check. Little things to curb the sparks she didn't even know she was letting off.

Getting back to the Shire bumped Elrond down to third place because as she walked through the Shire for the first time in months she found her heart song. 

Bungo Baggins was the complete opposite of Belladonna. Calm where she was erratic, polite where she was brash. No one understood why the green lady would pair them, Belladonna included in that number even if she loved him completely. She didn't understand until she watched Bungo bind her father to her courting contract, if Bungo built her a grand smial by hand her father would have to stop getting in the way of their courting. She felt the spark and saw the look of glee in her hearts eyes as the magic took hold. He was like her, Fay-born. Not the same type of fay she noted, his magic seemed to be in binding where hers was chaos but it made a sudden amount of sense to her now.

Bungo was quite pleased to hear about their similarities, even more so when he finished Bag End and she married him.

The birth of her darling Bilba bumped meeting Elrond down to number four on her list of great things to happen to her. (Not that she's sure he'd mind if she ever told him so.) Her darling little girl who was the best of both of them... and also a lot stronger. Bungo was worried and so was she, it was decided after much debating that they would teach Bilba to calm her sparks as she grew. It was also decided that they would wait until she was of age to inform her about being Fay-born.

Accept.... accept they never made it to her coming of age, they didn't even get close. They ended up stuck sitting outside Yavanna's gardens watching her suffer the fell winter scared and alone, then had to watch her suffer Otto, then suffer 'well meaning' relatives, then suffer more because of pushy suiters who just wanted her money and her body. By the time Gandalf turned up to whisk their little girl away from Bag End even Bungo was happy about it. Finally! Bilba would be happy and safe, well, as safe as one could be on the road.... but it didn't happen. Yes, she had met her one but horrid suiters had made her scarred to approach. The leader of the company was rude and the rest of them had no manners!

They watched as their daughter continued to be miserable with heavy hearts. It got better though and by the time she reached Lake Town they had hope again but then Thorin fucking Oakenshield **threw** their little girl off of a fucking mountain and that was the last straw. Belladonna twisted every spark of fay magic in her until she found what she wanted then stepped through the doorway she had made.

Once upon a time there was a lady hobbit named Belladonna Took. She was the third daughter of Gerontius Took and his favored though she could care less since she knew she would never gain the title. Instead of letting her father lecture her about what she would need to know to become the the twenty-seventh Thain of the Shire she walked strait up to Bungo and song. when she was done he had laughed and told her that she never did have any patience before launching into a song of his own. Turns out that he had been of the same mind as her at the sight of their daughter being tossed away like trash. They sped through their courtship much to her fathers annoyance and were married right in time for Gandalf to wander through, this time Bungo came with her to meet Elrond (as well as help her have her fun with Gandalf, they were a tad more cold towards him now but he had treated their daughter awfully in the beginning of her first adventure so they felt justified.)

Finding out that Elrond had taken the journey back with them was a breath of fresh air. Finding out that Bilba not only survived the fall from the mountain but had lived for decades afterwards made them sigh in relief. They (with Elrond's help) made a plan, Belladonna and Bungo were under no illusion that they would live past the fell winter. (Their magics not strong enough to let them twist past their marked deaths.) But that didn't mean that they couldn't make Bilba's life happier for longer.

They wrote and re-wrote their wills until the wording was perfect, outfitted Bag End with everything Bilba would need for an impromptu journey and learned to fight so that they could teach her. Most importantly though is they told Elrond that when she turned up with her dwarrow he was to tell her about being Fay-born so that she knew why she got so upset when Thorin broke his contract with Bard or why she got so lost in playing with the guards in Mirkwood when she had gotten bored.

The birth of Bilba was still the best thing that happened to her and she made sure to treasure every day she spent with her husband and daughter. Bungo did too.

The day Belladonna Baggins (nee Took) died for the second time she was terrified because Azog (learning the name of the bastard who killed her, her husband and what should have been her son-in-law didn't make her any less furious with him) had just sent his warg into her to punish her and Bungo for killing a few of his orc underlings. Finding herself and Bungo sitting in front of a screen looking at a bunch of dwarrow (and little Frodo, another Fay-born) looking at their own screen showing tiny little Bilba killing the warg was not what she was expecting. Finding out that Bilba had decided to follow in their footsteps once again was surprising but all Belladonna was brimming with pride.

Her little girl was all grown up.

* * *

Five glasses of wine down Bilba sat in silence. Elrond's tale finished though she could still hear his words as if they were still leaving his lips.

" _I'm Fay-born._ " She finally said as she put the empty glass down, pushing it away a tad to signal that she didn't want more.

" _You are._ " He agrees.

" _Frodo too?_ " She asks thinking on how much he had hated oath-breakers and his love of water even if it made him sad for some reason.

" _Frodo too._ "

" _...He's going to end up in my care again isn't he?_ " 

" _I believe so yes, Fay-born are drawn to each other from what I've seen in my years. A need I believe is left over from when the pure blooded fay wandered our lands._ "

She closes her eyes then sighs. " _Alright, okay. I can deal with this, it's not like the rest of my life isn't a complete shit show on a good day. Are there things I need to learn now that I know this?_ "

He looks amused which, rude, she's having a mid-life crisis here! Asshole elves. " _A few but you should be okay with what your parents taught you growing up._ " He says softly as he puts the wine away. " _We can start tomorrow if you'd like? As the sun rises to make the most of our time?_ "

" _As the sun... you know what? Fine._ " She hisses, any guilt she felt for the soon to be kidnap of Aragorn dies a swift death. " _I'll see you in the morning._ "

* * *

Fili sits in shock as Frodo translates his one's and Elrond's conversation. Fay-born! It was unbelievable since the fay were just legends, mystical beings told in bedtime stories to pebbles... but maybe not so unbelievable when lined up with everything he knew about his one.

She had followed her contract with them to the letter he remembers and she had been so angry when they wouldn't do the same. She twisted the words of her own contract so expertly after that to explain why she handed over the Arkenstone that had his uncle not been driven mad by gold he would have had to concede because she had been right, she had been tasked with stealing the Arkenstone but no where in the contract did it say she had to give it back. (An oversight on Balin's part.) She was also entirely to fond of any chaos he and Kili managed to create, going so far as to help them get away most times. And they always did if she was involved, like the subjects of their pranks couldn't make the connection from the pranks to them no matter how obvious they had been.

Frodo was also over the moon at the news. "Everything just makes more sense now." He said in joy. "Like there was a piece of me missing but now there isn't."

He's never going to stop learning new things about his one is he?


	18. Chapter 18

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin  _

Fairic

* * *

Bilba stumbles into the section of the palace that Elrond had given her and her dwarrow and finds them all sitting up and looking quite worried.

"Adad, we have a problem." She says drawing their attention. "It would seem that I'm not as hobbity as we thought I was." Her words slur at the end as the elven wine catches up to her. Nori replies she's sure but suddenly the world is going dark and the floor is racing to meet her.

* * *

Nori darts forward to catch his pebble but Dori is faster. He scoops her up and gently lies her down in front of Óin who starts checking her over. Nori has to cling to Thorin to stop him from rampaging through Rivendell (and himself, his mind going haywire over what she said and what could have done this to her). The tenseness in the air dies the moment Óin leans back and laughs.

" **The lass is drunk!** " Óin chuckles.

" **Drunk.** " He says dumbly before he straitens himself out and looks her over properly. With the blinding worry of parenthood gone he can clearly see the flush of her cheeks and the way she slowly moves as if even in sleep she's not quite in control. " **She's drunk.** " He says in relief.

" **Ay.** " Óin agrees in amusement. " **I've got something here that'll bring her right out of it though we'll have to wake her for it. Can't have her in the halls of elves while weakened after all.** "

" **Do it.** " Nori says, Óin is right though Nori is more worried about Elrond than elves in general. Something isn't right about him, he doesn't line up with how Nori remembered him and while that could be because this time he's lived with lady hobbits in his home Nori isn't to sure that's all there is to it. He also wants to know why Bilba thinks that they have a problem and what she has learned while he was away.

* * *

The world is blurry when Bilba wakes due to the insistent poking. A little voice in the back of her head tells her that she's drunk, she wonders why?

The poking stops and the blurs focus a tad. Is that Fili? It is! She laughs and climbs into his lap then kisses him before he can protest. "My heart." she whispers "Love of all loves. I have come to you again as I would a thousand times if only to see you smile upon me once more." The words slip out before she can stop them in a language she has never heard but understands completely.

Fili look at her in shock, why? She tilts her head and finds that her hair has a slight glow. Pretty! She plays with a lock of it until Fili catches her hand in his own. "Would you drink this for me?" He asks softly.

She smiles brightly and takes the drink, her hair glows a tad brighter and his breath hitches. "Of course my heart, whatever you want." His grip tightens on her wrist at her words and his eyes darken but she doesn't notice, busy drinking the strange drink in her hands. It's not a nice drink but she trusts Fili and he wanted her to drink it so she consumes every last drop. "Gross." She mutters as she hands it back then there is a flash of pain in her mind before she's suddenly thinking clearly. Her eyes dart to her position in Fili's lap then to the others in her company who are all standing around them. She manages a squeak in embarrassment before she shoves herself off of the crown prince. "I'm so so sorry Fili."

"It's fine." He says though now he sits on the floor clutching a pillow to his lap.

She turns from him and spots her hair, still glowing but well on it's way to fading. What in the.... Suddenly she remembers why she was drinking with Elrond in the first place. "Adad, we have a problem!" 

"You said before." Nori says, his eye (like everyone else's) are on her hair. "Though I'm starting to see what you mean. Come, lets all sit so you can explain or if you think it too private we could go to one of the rooms and discuss this there?"

"Lets sit." She says softly, this is something everyone needs to hear. Everyone is very kind to Fili when they decide to sit around him so he doesn't have to move. They all sit there until the glow fades completely from her hair then Ori speaks.

"What was the language you were speaking? It doesn't sound like Sindarin." He asks quietly.

"I don't know." She says honestly. "All I know is that I know it as well as any other language I've learned though I've not studied it at all."

"What did you say?" Kili asks making Fili glare at him. Kili ignores his brother with a smug grin.

She debates not telling them but then imagines the look on Fili's face if he knew. "My heart. Love of all loves. I have come to you again as I would a thousand times if only to see you smile upon me once more." She repeats and Fili does not disappoint, she laughs brightly as he goes as red as her prized tomatoes back at Bag End.

" **And the glowing hair?** " Bifur asks.

"I don't know about that either. It's never done that before, at least not to my knowledge." He nods.

"What is this problem the elf has informed you of?" Thorin says lowly making everyone quiet down.

She takes a deep breath and tries to figure out a way to tell them, she decides to start at the beginning. "There are stories among my people." She say gently. "About our wandering days when we had no home of our own." Thorin looks haunted at this and she's sure he's remembering what happened after Erebor was taken from him. "It s said that some of our number fell in love and married members of the fay race. A story told by every main family to explain why they are so different from one another. I, like many others, thought these to be just stories. Elrond has informed me that is not the case at all which is why I was driven to drink so much."

"You got pissed because you found out that you were part fay?" Bofur asks with a laugh, she clutches her skirt in a white knucled grip. As soon as he sees this he falls silent, looking guilty for even laughing in the first place.

"I was driven to drink not because of the fay part, though that was shocking. It was because of the fay I was connected to and how strong their blood was in me." She sighs. "On my mothers side I am connected to pixies, wild and lovers of chaos. Hobbits didn't go further than Bree before my mother (who had a strong connection to her pixie blood) dragged my father after Gandalf so she could visit Rivendell. It is apparently that which drove me to explore myself or so Elrond thinks since my pixie blood is stronger than hers was." She stops and takes another deep breath before continuing. "It is not that which drove me to drink either as it made a certain amount of sense to me. It is my fathers side that causes me trouble. On my fathers side I am connected to fairies, sharp tonged and even shaper minded. My fathers fairy blood was also quite strong and mine, once again, is stronger. Elrond believes that I am in fact more fay than hobbit in light of this." She grumbles.

"You did not explain what your fairy blood drives you to do." Nori says kindly, it is odd to hear him speak in such a tone but it makes her feel better.

"I take ones word seriously." She starts, watching their reactions more closely now. "If someone I didn't know swore to do something then didn't I would become very angry with them. If someone I did know and like swore to do something then didn't I would find myself trying to get them to do it to stop them from being an oath-breaker even if I had to steal something of great importance from them to use as leverage." She sees Nori's eyes light up in understanding. She, for the longest time, didn't know what had driven her to give away the Arkenstone. All she knew was that she **needed** Thorin to keep his word to Bard, he was family at that point and it physically hurt every second he refused to follow through on his promise. "I am also bound by the contracts that I sign." She doesn't continue, hoping that they won't ask but knowing that they will.

"Bound how?" Balin asks with slightly narrowed eyes.

"...For someone of weaker blood breaking a contract will hurt."

"Weaker blood." Dwalin growls, clearly not liking where this is going. 

She swallows. "If my father broke a contract the binding magic in his blood would kill him."

Gimli starts swearing angrily, not that she blames him at all. "And your blood is stronger than your fathers." Thorin states, tone dead making her worried.

"Yes." She says making Nori close his eyes in pain, she thinks he might be thinking of the cave just before the goblins. When she had planned to abandon the quest and go home no matter how much it was hurting her to do so. She had thought that it was heart ache but now knows that it was her blood warning her. The both of them now know that if she had walked out of that cave she would have dropped dead.

"You are telling me." Thorin snarls. "That if you don't manage to get the Arkenstone you will die?!" He stands and storms around the room pulling on his hair. Suddenly he stops and spins to face her. "Does Tharkûn know of this?! Is that why he insisted that it be you who joined us? Because he knew that you would die if you failed?"

It is Ori who answers, sweet and soft spoken Ori who is clearly very far from those things right now as he pulls her into a hug. "I will kill him if he did." He says as anger flows around him like a thick fog. "Of this I swear to you." Bilba feels the words sink in as she had felt Thorin's promise to Bard but now she understands, now they all do to. She curls into Ori and falls asleep to the safety of his promise. 

She doesn't see the slight glow return to her hair as the words bind.

* * *

She wakes again, this time to an argument.

"... want to offend you but she did agree and father is waiting." A soft female voice says. She knows that voice.

"I don't care. She will not be left alone again, not after how she was returned to us last night!" Thorin growls out.

She sighs and opens her eyes, she's in a Ri brother puppy pile she finds which is cuter than she thought it would be. " _Good morning Arwen. I thought you were visiting your grandmother when I didn't see you yesterday._ " She says sleepily as she sits up, Thorin, Fili and Kili seem to be the only ones up. All three of them creating a wall between her and Arwen.

Arwen smiles at her over the Durin's heads much to their annoyance. " _I rushed back as soon as grandmother saw Celebrían birth. My darling niece is truly a wonderful little thing._ " She says in pride.

" _She is._ " Bilba agrees before switching back to common at the looks the Durin's are sending them both. "I suppose you are here as the sun rises because of the lessons Elrond has offered to me in light of my blood?" A calculated move on her part, now Arwen knows that she has informed her dwarrow and her dwarrow know that she has someone willing to help keep her safe from the drawback of her blood.

"Yes, that is correct. May I sit in? I'm very curious since I was born long after the last of the fay left middle-earth." 

"Of course." She agrees easily.

"I would like to sit in as well." Fili cuts in. Arwen tilts her head slightly.

"The lessons will likely be in Sindarin crown prince, I'm sure you'll be bored should you stay for long." Bilba can see that she says this to be kind even in the face of their hostility, only to Fili though she notes. Her brothers must have passed on what they learnt yesterday.

Fili doesn't take it as a kindness, he takes it as a challenge. "I'm sure I'll be fine Lady Arwen." His tone slightly clipped.

"Very well, come along Bilba. Alyssa and Grace are looking forward to dressing you up again." Arwen says with sparkling eyes, it would seem that her brothers told her about that as well. Oh bother.

* * *

Alyssa and Grace manage to stuff her into a [dress](https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/697213586059244774/) half asleep then shove her back at Arwen before she can even get a word out. The only up side is the look on Fili's face. She really likes that look and greatly hopes that they can do something about it before they have to leave, it would be a crying shame to have to wait until they get to Beorn's.

Elrond is surprised to not see her hung over, she can tell and it makes her glare. "You have brought a guest." He says looking to Fili. " _Do you think that wise?_ "

"She has." Fili states as he sits next to her. She can tell he doesn't want to be here so she takes his hand into her own and rubs her thumb along his knuckles.

" _I told them all about my blood when I returned._ " She says then adds with a darker glare. " _Hard not to when my hair glowed like a star in the night sky._ " Arwen looks fascinated at this (she is sure Fili can't tell but Bilba had watched Arwen for years and can now see her emotions as clear as day.)

" _I may have decided that yesterday called for the opening of my second-to-last bottle of fay wine. It was well known for being given at coming-of-ages to connect young fay to their magics._ " He says as he sits across from her. " _That is why you likely don't remember such affects during your time before._ "

Bilba snaps her eyes to Arwen who's look of fascination has turned to wonder. " _Really? You have become second-born as well? How delightful._ "

Bilba blinks in shock. Fili looks between the three of them blank faced but keeps his hand in hers so she doesn't think him mad. Arwen did warn him after all. " _You too?_ " She asks.

" _I'm afraid not though I would have readily agreed if I had the chance._ " Arwen says. " _Father_ _told myself and my brothers when he returned, it is the actual reason I returned in time to meet you though baby Celebrían was a wonderful surprise._ "

" _Oh?_ "

" _Yes, I wish to join you on your quest._ " Bilba blinks in surprise once again. " _It was originally to tell you of the ring once you found it and help you get it to Mordor._ " She admits. " _Now it is simply to help you stay safe, my new sisters tell me that you are quite reckless with your life when you wish to be._ "

  
" _You don't have to._ " Bilba says, it feels like she's taking over Thorin's quest at this point. He's already going to have a hard time when she kidnaps Aragorn, an elf on top of that will surely cause a rage.

" _I want to._ " Arwen says simply. " _Father has told me everything that he can from what I myself told him before he became second-born. I am as prepared as I can be and I won't sit here with knowledge like that and do nothing._ "

And what can Bilba say to that when she has been of the same mind from the start. " _Fine but just know that my dwarrow will be **very** upset about this. I will keep the worst of it from you though._" Arwen smiles openly and Fili stares in clear unease at the sight, her Took blood sings in amusement at the sight. " **Are you sure you're not going to be too bored my heart?** " She asks him knowing that Elrond is about to start.

Fili turns to her and smiles, pulling her hand up and kissing it. " **I'll not lie, this is all horribly boring for me since I have no idea what you are all saying but if it will keep you safe I would sit with you through this every day for the rest of our lives.** "

She can't help but smile softly at him, she really needs to get him alone. " **I would never do that to you. How about a trade? You sit with me here one day and the next we do what you wish?** "

His eyes darken a tad but he keeps his princely air about him. " **I agree to your terms my one.** "

"If you're done we can start." Elrond says making them both jump, he looks very amused.

"Yes, I'm ready." She says.

* * *

Bilba learns much that first week. From her time with Elrond and Arwen she learns that while she is bound by the contracts she signs she can also **be** the binder should someone sign a contract **she** wrote. It explains why all of her tenants are always on time with rent, they don't have a choice in the matter since they signed a contract made by her father (filled with clauses about people being able to miss rent if given exceptions by the owner of Bag End like when she invited all of them to stay with her during the fell winter). It also gives her an idea on how to get Aragorn on the quest without Thorin being able to send him back though she's slightly scared that his rage will be worse when he finds out. She's also taught about how to slip onto the pixie roads (named fay roads by those who didn't know any better.), a skill she finds out that the one ring poorly mimics with it's inviability. Instead of the grey scale the world on the pixie road is filled with floating golden glitter and those she can see are surrounded in swirling, colorful light.

Fili is always bathed in Durin blue, as unwavering as the stone his people where born from. He had kissed her senseless when she had told him. Arwen and Elrond are wrapped in flowing silver, it flutters around then softly but she can tell that it can also become sharp as a blade when needed. Arwen is endlessly pleased with the news and Elrond simply gives her a knowing smile, she suspects whoever taught him so much about the fay already told him this.

What she learns from her time with Fili (which is mostly training with Dwalin who lets her join in) is that Fili not wearing a shirt and covered in sweat is simply unfair. That and she swears that he's doing it on purpose, almost like... almost like he's trying to get her to come to him. She thinks this over and realized that he initiated their night together in Bree. From what she knows about dwarven courtship (which isn't much she's sad to say) it's about equality in it's acts of affection. Is he waiting for her to start their next night together?

She decides to find out.

That night Alyssa gets out a barrel of hobbit moonshine to share with her dwarrow as thanks for 'getting Bilba away from that nasty bitch Lobelia'. Bilba stops Fili from drinking any with a wink then drags him to his room after her dwarrow have downed their forth cup. In the back of her mind she notes that Gimli only ever takes a sip when others are looking at him, like he knows how strong the brew is... how would he know that?

* * *

Fili can't help but laugh at his mothers put out look as the screen before them cuts off once again, he is a little worried about Mahal deciding to bless them with a child before they get to Erebor since he knows Nori will skin him if it happens but then again it's not **him** but his living counterpart that will take the punishment for that. 

Frodo is more interested in what they see when Bilba walks the pixie roads, it's not something he thinks he would have been able to do he admits to them all. He is a Baggins through his father which is why he finds the teachings about fairy blood so interesting but he is a Brandybuck by his mother and has been more drawn to the water because of it. Fili wonders what that means but knows Frodo doesn't have an answer other than "It feels right to say." so he doesn't bring it up, they'll find out eventually he's sure.

* * *

Dis (the living) stands in front of her people proud of what they have accomplished in the short time she has given them. It fills her with pride to call them her people.

" **Good morning everyone!** " She shouts, letting her voice carry over them and their pony-driven caravans. " **I know that I have asked a lot of you this week! To pack up your homes and your lives so that we can march to a mountain we do not even know the fate of all on the worries of a mother!** " Her people stand before her tall and strong as the stone they soon walk away from and the stone they soon walk towards. " **I am sorry for that though I know you don't want my sorrow! I know that is not why you stand here today with everything you are and more. You are here for the same reason as I! To protect the line of Durin from it's own stubbornness!** " A few pebbles chuckle at their parents side, she waits until they are done while trying to fight a small smile of her own. " **Today, we are three months behind our crown princess who wishes to kill Smaug by herself as a courting to our crown prince! Once we reach the Shire to pick up the hobbits who make our crown princesses court we will be six months behind them but that won't stop us from reaching her! And if we don't get there in time to stop her then we _will_ be there in time to help her for she is one of our own and we will not lose more of our own to Smaug!**" Her people cheer. " **LET US MARCH!** "

" **LET US MARCH!** " They all echo back.

Hold on Bilba, your mother-in-law is coming to help you.


	19. Chapter 19

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin  _

* * *

Chapter 19

It takes three days for Bilba to remember Gimli's curious reactions to the moonshine. To be completely honest she only does because she stumbles upon the answer. She had spent those three days pouring over her first contract (it had to be perfect because if anything happened to Aragorn she was screwed) and she was finally ready to tell the tween of her plan. She had been so exited that she'd used the pixie roads to get there faster... she probably shouldn't have.

"And how exactly do ya plan on tagging along Aragorn? You're a tween at best." Gimli whisper yells, rich purple encases him like a jeweled shield.

Aragorn glares at him as scarlet rushed around him like a constant raging river. "A fact that isn't my fault! If you fools had known anything about the magics you were playing with we wouldn't be in this mess."

She sits on her road while they continue to argue. They have come back too?! How many did she drag along when she took that plunge?! The conversation lulls and she knows that she needs to act so she steps off the road outside the door and knocks. She doesn't know how she's going to deal with her knew knowledge until the door opens and both of them start trying to come up with excuses as to why they are alone in a room together.

"It's fine boys, you're not the only ones taking a... step back if you know what I mean. Can I come in?"

Aragorn is confused and so is Gimli until for a few seconds. " **I knew it!** " He shouts with a laugh. " **I knew you hadn't come to Ered Luin before!** "

"Yes, of course. Lets just shout that in the middle of the last homely house." She says before Gimli pulls her into the room.

A second later Aragorn shut the door. "How did you get back? I thought you had died and Legolas swore he got the book from deep in his fathers library."

She feels the stab of anger at the mention of Legolas but she shoves it aside. "Book?"

* * *

Estel has a headache. It had started when he had finally gotten Gimli alone, or well, when he had told Gimli that he was joining him on his quest. He hadn't even gotten to the point where Bilba had already agreed to take him before Gimli shot the idea down, going on about not knowing what was going to happen and being too young. Like he had room to talk when Estel remembers quite clearly that at this point Gimli had only **just** made it to being of age by the time he had gotten to the Shire (If he remembered the time to the blue mountains from the Shire right, it had been a **long** time since he had been a ranger after all.)

It had turned into an argument because of course it did, he was sick of sitting around pretending to be a kid and Gimli was worried about him getting hurt now that he was younger. He understands Gimli's worry, understands that Gimli is only trying to protect his friend but that doesn't mean the whole think doesn't piss him right off. He's seconds away from hitting Gimli when someone knocks on his door, all anger drains out of the both of them and all they are left with is worry. Did someone over hear them? Even if they didn't Estel wasn't supposed to be near the dwarrow currently invading Rivendell, this could cause problems. He takes a breath and opens the door. It's Bilba smiling at him with sparkling eyes.

She knows, better actually. She's in the same boat as them, Estel is very much looking forward to not having to act like a child around her like he thought he would need to. He almost laughs when he remembers what Alyssa had said to him before Bilba had come. He seems to resemble Bilba more than even she knows.

* * *

"So you're telling me." Bilba says softly as she sits in front of Aragorn and Gimli. "That Legolas was so upset with Frodo's death that he decided to rip apart time and space to bring him back?" She asks with her mind at war. On the one hand she's still so very angry at him for her Frodo's death but on the other hand the lengths he seems to have gone through to right his wrong...

"And gave up his immortality." Gimli adds.

"He hasn't." She says without thinking.

"He has." Aragorn says. "It is one of the more clear memories I have of that night, to get us back here he needed to give up his immortality. Which he did without a second thought as soon as we agreed to join him."

Bilba closes her eyes and works through her thoughts before she speaks again. "That may have been his intention, yes, and if he'd not been swept up in my time flow it may have been the result." They both look confused and she knows that this is just going to get worse, she needs help. "Alright you two, come on."

"Where are we goin'?" Gimli asks as he gets up, Aragorn not far behind him.

"I'm not explaining this more than twice, since I'll need to explain it in Greenwood as well, so we're going to gather the others."

"Others?!" Aragorn exclaims in shock.

"Of course." She can't help but smirk back at them, her hair starting to glitter in the light. "You didn't think it was going to just be you three did you?" She laughs at their dumbstruck expressions.

* * *

She makes Aragorn wait out of sight as she and Gimli enter her section of the palace. " **Adad!** " She calls. Nori, who was currently letting Thorin braid his wet hair looks up. " **I need to have a chat with you about when you adopted me.** " She shifts her weight slightly in Gimli's direction and Nori shifts to show that he understands.

" **Of course my pebble.** " He stands and Thorin grabs his wrist.

" **I don't feel good letting you both wonder by yourselves.** " He rumbles.

" **I know my one, that is why Gimli will be coming with us as a guard. Won't you?** "

" **Yes my queen.** " Gimli says quickly understanding that Nori was one of the ones to join them in their time jump.

Thorin looks put out and so does Fili but the decision has been made and it would be an insult to Gimli if they insist, like saying that they didn't think him strong enough to protect them. Nori and Gimli follow her out a minute later.

* * *

Nori raises his eyebrow when he spots Aragorn waiting for them but doesn't say anything which she's grateful for. Now she has to find Elrond and Arwen.

She doesn't end up finding them, they find her. It turns out that one of Arwen's ladies in waiting spotted Aragorn with them and rushed off to tell her. Arwen's response was to tell Elrond then come and collect them since Aragorn **knew** that he wasn't to go near the dwarrow and because they were curious as to why **she** was encouraging him to break their rules.

Elrond looks less than pleased when she enters the room with the rest of her group. " _Would you mind explaining?_ " He asks her, a few of the elves around him try their best to look uninterested.

" _It has to do with my lessons._ " She says simply. " _If I could speak to you and Arwen privately on the matter that would be very helpful._ "

He looks her, Nori, Gimli and Aragorn over then nods. " _Leave us._ " The elves, a bit disappointed, quickly leave.

When she can no longer hear them she speaks. "Nori, Gimli and Aragorn are second-borns. Like us." Nori stiffens at her side and she suddenly feels bad for not telling him, she's just been very busy this week. "King Thranduil and prince Legolas of Greenwood as well." She adds feeling even more bad about that since the only reason she didn't tell Nori about Thranduil was because she forgot.

"So **that** is what you were talking about during the wedding." Elrond mummers thoughtfully. "He had been quite odd as of late but with the way time flows for us I hadn't been sure."

"What did you talk about?" Nori enquirers calmly though she can see that the skin around his eyes is tight, she's going to be in a lot of trouble for this she can already tell.

"We talked about how upset he was that he didn't get to host a hobbit/elf wedding of his own and his plans to make sure it happened this time around." He nods for her to continue. "He also agreed to let us pass through if I promised to get him the White Gems of Lasgalen."

"Bilba!" Nori snaps

"What? I did it last time just fine I'll have you know. All I really need to do is claim is as part of my share again and the problem is solved." He glares harder. "I didn't know about the fay-born thing then okay?!"

"Will you die if you can't get them to him?" Nori growls.

"No." It is Elrond who answers. "Not if she didn't sign a contract but it will upset her greatly until she follows through on her promise, more so since Thranduil is one of her chosen companions."

"Excuse me?" Nori hisses angrily, no doubt remembering the weeks they spent in Thranduil's cells.

Elrond sighs. "This is what you wanted to go over." He says as he looks her over.

"One of the many things we need to all talk about." She agrees.

"Then let us sit, this will be a long meeting."

* * *

Elrond was very furrow when he explained and Bilba nodded along like she knew what he was talking about (she kind of did but it was mostly feelings instead of actually explanations so this was nice).

When Bilba had dropped into the water below Fili's ship her magic had sent a pulse out to the two people she was closes to that were alive. Nori, her father and Thranduil who had become a good friend of hers. Nori would have had to wait until he died to get his invitation but it was very likely that Thranduil got his strait away even if he hadn't know who sent it. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas were extremely lucky that they managed to get swept up in her magical pull. Legolas may have lost his immortality but they would have lost their lives, people did not just play with powerful fay magic without consequences.

This then turned into an in-depth explanation about Bilba's blood and how it worked followed by examples of what she had learnt in the four lessons she had with Elrond. By the time Elrond finished they had been sitting there for hours.

"I want you to write me a contract." Aragorn says making everyone snap towards him, his eyes lock with hers. "A contract saying that I have to go with you on this quest. Your king can't make me come back if he knows it will kill me."

"ARE YA OUT OF YOUR MIND!" Gimli yells as he jumps up.

"I would like one as well." Arwen says cutting off Gimli's anger.

Nori narrows his eyes at them both before he gets up. "It is your choice my pebble but you will be the one to deal with the fallout."

"Adad..." She starts but he cuts her off.

" **I am not happy about the fact that you neglected to tell me about Thranduil Bilba. I know you forgot but that doesn't mean I can't be mad.** " She slumps in her seat. " **You dealing with the fall out for adding an elf and a child to Thorin's quest will be punishment enough I think. Come along Gimli.** "

" **What?! Ya can't be serious your majesty?!** " Gimli exclaims.

Nori stares him down. " **Come along Gimli son of Glóin.** " There is a hard edge to his voice that makes her shrink further in her seat. Gimli snaps his mouth shut, looks her over then sighs and follows Nori out.

"He will let your mistake go soon." Arwen assures softly. "He loves you too much not to."

Bilba sighs. "I know but I still feel bad."

"Sometimes," Elrond says. "parents find it hard to let their young become adults. Letting your child be an adult is letting them make their own mistakes as your father is finding out. You will both find your balance again I am sure, for now let us deal these contracts."

It is a offer to move on that she gladly accepts. "Well I actually already wrote one up for Aragorn. I was thinking of an apprenticeship contract though I haven't figured out what I will be teaching him yet that would require him to come along."

* * *

Fili watches as Frodo beams throughout the whole conversation, he understands why Frodo is so happy because thinking about Bilba going back to stop him from dying so that they could make a future together filled his heart with happiness as well. That doesn't mean he has to like it.

"I think it's very romantic." His mother says fondly, not for the fact that Legolas is the one doing it since she shares uncle Thorin's dislike for the elves (something all of them are trying to get past since Kili's one is Tauriel) but for the act itself.

"You didn't watch him waste away." He snaps quietly, not willing to ruin Frodo's good mode.

"No, that is true but I did spend years hating Bilba for outliving you." She admits softly, also trying to avoid drawing Frodo's attention. "I'm not talking out of hand either Fili. I truly hated her, I even traveled to the Shire to kill her when I found out about the Arkenstone incident."

"What?!" He hisses.

"Be calm my son. I got there fully planning to kill her but then I saw her, saw how miserable she was. Saw that the only reason she lived was so she didn't leave Frodo alone in the world and all I could see was myself trying to raise you and Kili while all I wanted to do was join your father but it was worse because where I had your uncle Thorin to help me she had no one. She had no one but she still kept going and if she could then so could I."

All Fili could do was stare as his mother walked away, had he really spent years not thinking about how hard this all must have been for his mother? Wow, he was a horrible son.


	20. Chapter 20

**Khuzdul**

_ Sindarin  _

Fairic

* * *

Bilba stares at the contract sitting on the table in front of her. It is not the one she wrote, not even close. The one she wrote is sitting on the floor in shreds, a state it had been in since she handed it over for Elrond to look at. A small part of her is upset because he hadn't even looked at it, another is upset because this contract is too perfect. She reads through it again, hating how old the ink is. Elrond slides a new blank paper in front of her as well as a quill, she glares. He had planned this she now knows, planned to use the promise he made to her parents to teach her so that she would know how to properly bind herself and others to this very contract. She wonders how long this plan had been in the making. Before she came back? Before her parents did?

" _You cannot ask this of her father!_ " Arwen yells in a rare show of anger. " _You know who her father is! Who her starlight is! You know exactly what position this will put her in!_ " Aragorn is silent in his own anger, fingers clutching the fabric of his pants so hard she is surprised they don't rip. His eyes are unseeing on the contract.

" _It is well within my right to ask this Arwen. You are not yet of age no matter how little years you have left to claim the title. You know as well as I that an apprenticeship contract would not hold up in the eyes of our race, for you nor for **Estel** who is my charge._" Elrond says stiffly. 

" _It was a fairy contract! They would not have been able to do a thing about it and you know it!_ " Bilba is quite sure that if she slipped into the pixie roads she would find Arwen's flowing silver sharp as Sting which sits on her waist.

" _And this will be too._ " He snaps. She can understand why Aragorn does not voice his frustrations, it is truly a terrifying thing to see elves so angry that they **express it**. She almost doesn't interrupt but she knows she must, if Nori had been mad before she knows that after this he will be furious. It is yet to be seen where that anger will go.

" _I could just walk out of the room._ " Elrond glares at her now, Arwen stops storming around the room. " _Take the paper and the quill and write up my own contract that I'm sure Arwen and Aragorn would be happy to sign._ "

" _Then you would simply have to stay in Rivendell, shall I have permanent rooms made up for you?_ "

" _I signed a contract with my dwarrow._ " She reminds him, she doesn't like that her path is closing off. Elrond doesn't seem concerned about that at all even though he knows what will happen if she breaks it, that isn't good at all.

" _Your contract with them does not say **when** you need to complete it only at some point that you do complete it. You could spend, say, 103 years in Rivendell and not feel the affects of a broken contract._"

" _You can't!_ " Aragorn yells finally.

" _I can. I made her parents a promise after all, who's to say that teaching her about her fay blood doesn't take that long?_ " Elrond says calmly, knowing that he has her in a corner.

"She's your daughter." Bilba hisses finally, it's all the defense she has left. She means to say it in Sindarin but she's just so angry at being tricked.

"It is because she is my daughter that I do this." He hisses back. "She will go with you no matter if I like it or not and you are the only one I would trust to keep her safe." He then leans back with a sigh. "I know you are angry with the deception my friend but I have spent years trying to find a way this all works and the is always the best option."

She holds on to her anger for a few moments more before she too sighs, he makes sense no matter how much she wished he didn't. She only hopes that Fili forgives her though she would understand if he didn't. She pulls the contract and the blank paper towards her then dips her quill into the ink before she begins copying the words over.

* * *

Bilba stops before she enters her part of the palace thinking on how to keep her dwarrow here until the reading of the map. It is not needed as she already knows what it says but she would like to keep things as close as she can get them with all of the changes now happening around her.

"I'm sorry." Aragorn says from her left, she tilts her head in confusion. "This is my fault, if I hadn't mentioned contracts...."

She cuts him off. "Don't blame yourself for this." She says softly. "Elrond seems to have been planning this for longer than we've been here, you hold no fault."

"She is right Estel." Arwen adds as she puts her hand on his shoulder. "If it is either of our faults then it is mine."

"Oh Yavanna, Arwen you are not at fault for this. Neither of you are not stop feeling guilty about it, adad will be doing enough of that for all three of us when we tell them." She says sternly. "Plus it's not so bad right?"

Arwen smiles softly at her even though Bilba can still see that she is upset. "You are correct. I have heard much about you over the years and I promise that I hold my new title with pride."

"As do I." Aragorn mutters, also still upset. "Frodo spent much of our journey telling us stories about you. This is an honor even if the circumstances leading to it are... less than ideal."

"Thank you. I have watched over you during your fellowship and am also proud." She says with a genuine smile, both of them relax. "Now." She adds making them tense again. "It's time to tell the others. I will shield you should it come to it. Are you ready?"

When they nod she takes a deep breath before continuing.

* * *

Thorin (the living) is worried. Nori, Gimli and Bilba had been gone for hours and every second of that time he had been on edge. What could Bilba have needed to talk about that had to do with Nori's adoption of her?

Nothing good he finds when Nori and Gimli return angry and without Bilba. Nori storms about the room before sitting himself in Thorin's lap and refusing to move. Gimli, equally angry, takes his axe to one of the dressers in the room. No one can get words out of either of them and Thorin can tell that Fili drowns more in his worry every second Bilba doesn't return.

He feels Nori's own worry start to cover his anger when night falls and she's still not back so he opens his mouth to call for his company to split up and search. He is stopped by her finally returning, in her hand she clutches a piece of paper and at her back are a child of man and the daughter of their host.

Thorin has a very bad feeling about this.

* * *

When Bilba walked into the room it was silent, everyone was there looking very worried. An image flickered in her mind, they had looked the same when she returned after drinking with Elrond. She looked to Nori and found him blank faced, his eyes going from the contract in her hands to Arwen and Aragorn who stood a pace behind her. It was suddenly hard to breath but she had to do this now or it would poison every word she said from this point, none would trust her if she kept this quiet.

"Adad." All eyes were on her, why was this so hard? "I would like to present to you Arwen daughter of Bilba, daughter of Nori and Aragorn son of Bilba, daughter of Nori. As sealed by fairy contract." She watches her dwarrow still, she is quite sure that they aren't even breathing. Aragorn and Arwen are also still behind her, no doubt ready to pull her away at the slightest movement.

" **What.** " Nori hisses, low and angry. 

She swallows. "I wrote a contract. I and Elrond signed the contract. Now we are bound by life and blood." She hates how angry the words make him.

"Why?" He snarls, Thorin not far behind him in rage.

"Because if she didn't Elrond was going to use the promise he made to her parents to keep her here until she was to old to complete her contract to you and died." Arwen says, showing her own anger. Bilba flinches slightly at her fathers given name leaving her lips.

"We are both too young to join your quest but Arwen has seen things in her grandmothers pool that she has been given leave to change." Aragorn cuts in, a story they had planned together after the ink on the contract in her hands had dried. She'll fill Nori and Gimli on what actually happened later. "The only way we could join you without you being called thieves of the throne was if we were seen to be traveling with immediate family. Who better than a fairy bound by our adoption." He mutters the last bit angrily.

"May I?" Balin says cooly as he holds his hand out, Bilba passes the contract without a word. He reads it over twice before he hands it back. "Why is it significant that you wrote it?"

"Because a contract written by a fairy binds all who signed it like a normal contract would bind the fairy." She answers.

"So if Elrond breaks his end he will die?"

"Yes."

"If the elf tried to keep you here you could have just escaped!" Thorin yells. "We would have helped you!"

Bilba closes her eyes and sighs. "I wouldn't be able to."

"Why?!" He growls.

"Because, despite the deception, Elrond is a family friend and he made a promise to my parents. He made a promise to my **father**. A promise of teaching me about my blood. If he said that it would take a hundred or so years to learn then if I left he would become an oath-breaker..."

"And because you like him your natural instinct you be to prevent this forcing you to stay." Fili says calmly, the look in his eyes unreadable.

"Yes." She says with a nod in his direction, they are all finding out how annoying her blood is. There must always be balance after all.

"What does the contract say." Nori says finally as he pushes himself out of Thorin's lap.

"In short, Elrond gives up his right to be seen as their parents with the understanding that Bilba holds the title after him." Balin says.

"Did they know?" Nori asks her as he stops in front of her.

There are many unasked questions there she can tell. The most prominent being if this was what she had planned. "No." She says in answer to all his questions. "The ink of the contract he had me copy had long since dried but they were just as surprised to see it's words as I."

Nori looks the three of them over before she storms across the room. On his way he pulls Dwalin's war hammer off of his back then proceeds to use it to smash one of the bedside tables to splinters. Once done he uses the hammer to point towards her. "You will be going no where in the fucking place alone."

"Yes adad." Knowing better than to argue.

"You two." he says pointing the hammer at them. "Come and sit to I can put the family braids into your hair. You are lucky I have spare clasps just incase some are lost." They both look to her but move to Nori when she nods. Balin folds her contract and puts it with the others.

Fili pulls her into his lap and just sits with her, Kili curling into their right and Thorin sitting stiffly on their left. It feels like acceptance which makes her feel lighter.

* * *

Fili is furious like the rest of his family. Fuck trying to accept elves! Tauriel, Arwen and Legolas (though he still didn't like it) being the exceptions of course, they **were** family but the rest of them.... the rest of them could burn.


	21. Chapter 21

**Khuzdul**

_Sindarin_

Fairic

* * *

Bilba is going insane. She knows that Nori ordered them to do it so they kind of have to but it's driving her up the wall to see a dwarf around every corner. 

In the library? Uncle Ori suddenly wants to go as well and where uncle Ori goes so does super strong uncle Dori. 

Relaxing in the gardens? So are Bifur and Óin. 

Bofur and Bombur follow her to the kitchens with the excuse of making fun of elvish cooking.

Glóin and Gimli like to hang around their rooms when she's there, drawing her into conversations about Mizim. (Which she's actually quite happy to do most times, Mizim sounds awesome!)

When ever she wants to spend time with Arwen and Aragorn she's surrounded by Thorin, Nori and Kili who have taken to spoiling her new children. Because they want them to feel welcome in their family or to spite Elrond she's no longer sure.

If she wants to train Dwalin and Balin appear out of no where intent on giving her pointers (They are good pointers but that only makes it worse).

And this doesn't include Fili who is **always** by her side, you'd think this would mean that they would spend more... time... together but Nori seems to have a sixth sense for when their thoughts turn that way because he's always around the corner dragging them back to the company.

It's not like she can even bathe alone either because they have bribed Arwen somehow, even the mention of bathing has Arwen hooking their arms together. "I know of a splendid place mother, you'll love it. Here, let me show you."

It's the last day and she can't take it anymore, it's not that she's had enough of her dwarrow. Not at all, she loves the lot of them. It's just the over protectiveness she can't deal with, she's an old lady for Yavanna's sake! She can walk around without being attacked. So she writes a quick note and slips into the pixie roads.

She loves the pixie roads, maybe a tad **too** much but she can't help it. It's all just so pretty here. She wanders around Rivendell marveling at the flowing colors and the golden sparkers, her wandering leads her to little Celebrían. Tiny little Celebrían who's surrounded in black because she's to young to gain colors yet. 

She steps back into the world and Celebrían giggles up at her. "Hello little one." She says as she lets Celebrían capture one of her fingers. "It's been a little while since I've seen you hasn't it?"

"It has." Elladan says making her turn, he steps into the room with a bottle of milk and shuts the door behind him. She's not worried. "She has missed you."

"And I her." She says softly and extracts her finger so that he can his daughter. They sit in a comfortable silence while Celebrían drinks her milk and falls back to sleep. "I'm sorry." She says when he puts her back into her crib. "I feel like I'm tearing your family apart."

"You're not." He assures her with a kind look. "Arwen is still my sister even if it now has 'in-law' added to the title." She blinks in confusion and he laughs. "Alyssa told me that you sponsored her and her sister, taught them about your family. Gave them your name."

"I did though I don't know what your trying to get at."

"It is a culture diffrence I admit. One Alyssa explained when I asked. To my race what you did is seen as adoption, you are seen as Alyssa and Grace's mother here. Celebrían's grandmother."

"... I'm your mother in law?!" He laughs. "Oh Yavanna! Now I have to tell adad about this as well!" He laughs harder, surprisingly not waking Celebrían up. "Could they meet Celebrían?" She asks when he calms down.

"Of course, father is reading your map tonight and it's likely you'll be leaving right after so we should do it now." He says with a nod. "You get yours and I'll get mine?"

She's the one that laughs now. "Deal!" She says happily then steps onto the pixie roads.

* * *

"I'm a grandfather!" Fili shouts in joy. "Look how cute she is! Kili look!"

"I'm looking Fili." Kili says with a roll of his eyes.

"And her little hands! I can't wait for her to be old enough to hold a knife. She'll be adorable!" Fili continues happily, oblivious to the rest of his family who are snickering behind him.

"Hey Thorin." Uncle Frerin snickers, mother covers her mouth to smother her giggles.

"What" Uncle Thorin grumbles, mourning the quest he planned so well. He blames Tharkûn, a safe bet with all that he's learned.

"How..." He breaks of into giggles and has to physically calm himself down to continue. "How does it feel to be a great grandfather?" Uncle Thorin scowls at uncle Frerin and mother can no longer hold herself together.

"Don't worry son." Grandfather says as he pats his shoulder. "You get used to it." Mother and uncle Frerin are now leaning against each other on the floor fighting to breath. Uncle Thorin scowls harder.

* * *

"Adad!" She says happily as she steps off of the pixie roads making them all jump. "I have wonderful news!"

"Wonderful news that you learnt while wondering by yourself which I forbade you to do?" It's not a question so much as an accusation, rude.

"I wrote a note." She huffs. 

"And you abided by it? Stayed on the pixie roads the whole time?" He gives her a knowing look, the fact that he's right just makes her more annoyed.

"I did until I saw Celebrían." She finally admits

"Who is that? I remember hearing you talking about that with Elrond when we arrived."

"Well apparently she's my granddaughter.... surprise..." Nori looks so very unimpressed that she feels the need to defend herself. "Okay so in the Shire during the fell winter I sponsored these two girls, Alyssa and Grace, who came here when they were of age and married Elrond's twin sons. Alyssa just gave birth to Celebrían right before we got here. According to her husband, Elladan, what I did is seen as adoption in elven customs so I'm now his mother in law." She says in a rush then blinks as she realizes something. "Which is why Elrond made the contract! If he thought that Alyssa and Grace where my daughters then he would think that I already had experience razing children, plus Arwen and Aragorn wouldn't lose their siblings because all that would happen was switching who they called 'in law'!"

"What is sponsoring?" Uncle Ori asks her. She explains the whole process to him. "Umm, that's considered adoption to us as well." He admits. Thorin scowls, no doubt being annoyed by sharing the opinion of elves on something.

"Would you like to meet her?" Bilba asks when they start debating. "Elladan has agreed so you have promision."

"Meet... Celebrían?" Fili asks slowly, she nods.

"Yes!" Kili shouts excitedly, bouncing up to her. Everyone else nods along, looking quite happy to be meeting a new born.

"Well lets go then!" She laughs and leads them to where Elladan was waiting.

* * *

Celebrían is very new to the world and knows very little. 

She knows that mommy and daddy love her.   
She knows that auntie and uncle love her too.  
She knows that grandmommy is always covered in pretty sparkles.  
She knows that whenever mommy or daddy take her out at night the stars move until they spell Frerin.

She doesn't know what Frerin is but she knows that it's important and that's all that matters.

* * *

When Bilba drags her dwarrow into the room Alyssa, Grace, Elladan and Elrohir are waiting. Alyssa is holding Celebrían with a bright smile.

"Hi mom." She says cheekily making Bilba's eyes narrow.

"You knew!" She cries out. "How long?"

"Since before the wedding." Alyssa admits as they all come closer. "Elladan and Elrohir told us when we explained our names." Grace nods along.

"... Fine, come on guys. This little cute is Celebrían." She introduces, Celebrían looks at them all then giggles happily and makes grabby hands at Fili.

Fili looks frozen in wonder making Alyssa laugh. "Here!" She shoves Celebrían into his arms and he scrambles to hold her right.

Celebrían reaches her little hands up then grabs Fili's mustache braids, it must hurt and yet all he can do is beam. " **Hello daughters daughter.** " He says making Bilba melt. He doesn't let anyone else take her even when Gandalf comes knocking to inform them that it was time to read the map. "You will be okay with uncle's and Balin?" He asks her as he rocks Celebrían who is fast asleep yet still holding onto his mustache.

"Of course I will. I'll see you soon." She says then kisses him softly.

* * *

The meeting is awkward at best. Thorin and Nori are still angry at Elrond, Elrond is pretending he doesn't have emotions and Gandalf seems to have no idea what's going on. Bilba is quite sure that the only reason Thorin hands the map over is because he wants to leave.

Elrond takes the map and leads them to the mouth of two waterfalls where a crystal pedestal sits, he gently lies the map on the pedestal and waits for the moon to shine from behind the clouds. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asks her without turning, Gandalf's eyebrows shoot up even though he clearly can't understand what Elrond said. He must know of the language.

"Yes, I would give my heart back his home." Now his shock is on her. Shock that is slowly morphing into horror.

"Very well." He says as the moon finally shines on the map. "Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's day will shine upon the keyhole." He says dutifully then hands the map back. "Take care of them all Bilba. I'm trusting you to bring them back safely." He doesn't give her time to reply as he turns and walks away. "Gandalf! A word if you would?" It's not a request.

" _I will catch up with you._ " Gandalf whispers before he follows Elrond.

" **We must go.** " Thorin said as soon as Gandalf was out of sight. " **Gather everything you can, we leave in an hour.** " They all nod and split up.

* * *

Bilba would like to know what she did to anger Yavanna. Was it coming back? Was wanting to change things some sort of insult? Would Yavanna accept an apology? Please?

"You cannot be serious." Thorin snarled angrily.

"I am completely serious I'll have you know." Alyssa says smugly. "If my younger brother and older sister get to run off with a bunch of dwarrow then I don't see why I can't either." Grace stands tall by her side and nods.

"This is a dangerus quest!" Thorin yells. "We are going to steal from a dragon! You cannot bring a **new born PEBBLE!** "

"I think you'll find that we can." Elrohir says blandly from Grace's side. "We've not signed anything that says different."

"We've not signed anything actually brother." Elladan points out.

"Correct brother, you have no hold over us." Elrohir continues. "If we want to travel with our mother in law then you can't stop us."

"Wait!" Alyssa suddenly says. "Did you just say that there was a dragon in that mountain?!"

"Yes!" Thorin exclaims looking relived, he clearly doesn't know a thing about Alyssa.

" _Oh how romantic!_ " She exclaims as she turns to Bilba. " _Have you told them? Please say you haven't! I want to see their faces!_ "

" _I've not said anything because it's not a big deal. Please drop it._ " Bilba sighs out.

" _Not a big..._ That's it! We are definitely not missing this!" Alyssa laughs making Thorin's face fall.

This is going to end badly she's sure.


	22. Chapter 22

**Khuzdul**

_Sindarin_

Fairic

* * *

Belladonna Baggins (nee Took) was very unimpressed with the things she was learning about her husband and his section of the fey race. The amount of times her daughter had almost died because of her Baggins blood alone was highly distressing. Learning about how Elrond was able to manipulate Bilba with a promise he made to **her** was rage inducing. She wondered how Bungo did it with all the drawbacks, she really did.

"Aw, don't act like our race is any better little Bell." Belladonna shoots a glare to her side, the pixie at her side laughs. "Don't look so mean little Bell. One would think that you didn't like old grandpa Flix with a look like that!" He laughs more. One point to Bungo's blood is it protects him from having to deal with Flix.

"What are you talking about." She snaps, Bungo shoots her a look of sympathy, his fey ancestor is apparently much nicer.

"Why the pixie roads of course!" Flix exclaims then shoots her a look of amusement. "Don't tell me you don't know... Oh Yavanna! That's hilarious! You don't know! HAHAHA!"

"What about the pixie roads?" She growls out.

"Oh this is great! I haven't had a laugh like that in decades!"

"Flix! Why are the roads dangerous!" Bungo snaps his eyes to her at the mention of more danger to their daughter. Worry creasing his brow.

"Well." Flix says conspiringly as he leans towards her. "Don't you every wonder about those stories told by children of man?" He asks cheekily. "About fey whisking off children in the middle of the night, never to be seen again?" Belladonna feels her heart clench. "The road are so pretty aren't they." He says, seemly to change the subject but she knows this ties in. He's sneaky like that. "Why your dear Bungo seems to thinks so doesn't he little Bell. I'm sure if he found himself on them he'd **never want to leave!** " Her eyes snap to Bungo's in worry before looking to Flix... who has use her distraction to disappear.

"What's wrong dear?" Bungo asks her.

"What do you think of the pixie roads?" She asks instead of answering and feels her heart drop when his eyes glaze over.

"It's wonderful dear heart. So very beautiful, I would love the chance to experience something like that myself one day. Why do you ask?"

Shit! Shit shitshitshit!

* * *

It has been a week and Thorin (the living) is still not sure what's happening to his quest anymore. For one he's surrounded by elves! Mahal save him from that fact alone. Then there are the new hobbits who seem to think that going off to steal from a dragon that decimated 3/4 of his people is just a fun hike. And don't get him started on the pebble! He swears she holds power over time because as soon as she's in his arms for not more than a moment it's suddenly night when it was day. (He refuses to believe that he lost track of time because she was cute. He's a king! He's above such things... maybe.). 

Aragorn is the only upside. His grandson (and how strange a notion that is) seems to be just as put off as he is by all of this. Content to train with Dwalin and hold Celebrían when it's his turn. He is grumpy at all other point in time, cursing wood elves for all his troubles (which may have had more positive impact with Thorin than he clearly knows.)

" **You're brooding again.** " Nori says from his side.

" **I don't brood.** " He grumbles as he surveys his company around the fire, both new and old.

" **Sure my love. I completely believe you.** " Nori snorts making Celebrían giggle, it would seem that it was Nori's turn to hold the pebble. Thorin ignores the stab of jealously. " **What are you majestically thinking my king?** "

Thorin ignores the little rush of heat since there is nothing he can do about it. " **I was wondering about the look on Dain's face when he finds out that my heir's heir is an elf.** " He eyes Arwen who looks up then smiles brightly at him, he almost flinches back at the sight. Still unused to elves showing emotions, she laughs at his expression then goes back to her conversation with Kili who also seems spooked.

Nori snorts. " **I would pay money to see that!** " He sighs, of course Nori would find the whole thing amusing. He was much like his daughter in that way. " **If it makes you feel better they have discussed it. Arwen is heir to Lothlórien, Aragorn is heir to all of Dúnedain. Alyssa and Grace will be the ladies of Rivendell as well when Elrond sails west. Anyone who sits on Erebor's throne after us and after Fili will still be of Durin blood.** "

Thorin blinks several times then runs his eyes over his grandchildren again. " **What?!** " He hisses finally making Celebrían giggle.

" **Didn't you know?** " Nori asks cheekily. " **Why do you think Elrond choose Bilba to take care of them? She was the crown princess of her people remember my one.** " Thorin blinks again then scowls making Nori laugh. " **Here, it's your turn.** " Nori then hands Celebrían over and slinks away before he can protest.

Thorin feels a slight tug on his braids and looks down, Celebrían blinks up at him with her big eyes and mouths the braid in her hand. Thorin melts.

Suddenly there is a hand on his shoulder, he looks up and it's Alyssa. "It's time for bed." She says softly and he looks back down to see that Celebrían is fast alseep, his braid still in her mouth. He minds a lot less than he should. He gently hands the sleeping pebble over and Alyssa smiles at him before heading over to the elf twins.

He looks up at the sky and is unsurprised to see it dark where it was light before, Dwalin snickers and Thorin shoots him a glare. " **Not. One. Word.** " Dwalin looks away but his shoulders still shake. Thorin morns the loss of any respect he ever had.

* * *

It's been two weeks since they left Rivendell and Bilba had been having a great time. Not only did the company like her this time around but now she had her kids with her (minus Frodo but she was sure he was with her in spirit) which was so very odd to think about. 

Arwen, with the knowledge that Kili's one was an elf, had taken to conversing with him at random points about things ranging from flower languages (from the elves side as it differed from the hobbit side) to proper courting methods. She had assured Kili that his name wasn't the one written in her starts but that she'd seen him with an elf in her grandmothers pools and thought that he wouldn't want to make a fool of himself.

Alyssa could be seen with Glóin having praise fights about their hearts and fauns. Much to Gimli's embarrassed horror and Elladan's smug amusement.

Grace however could be found sitting next to Bifur quietly carving all manner of things. Bilba could see that it was good for both of them to find someone just as silent as themselves and Elrohir seemed to share her thoughts if the fond looks he sent the pair were any indentation.

Aragorn and Gimli were inseparable, they spared together the most when Dwalin called for training and slept in a pile when night fell. Always whispering and watching though she supposes that has more to do with their shared history than anything else.

With all of the noise and distractions running around their camps Bilba was finally able to find time to sneak away with Fili! Which was the best part of the whole thing in her opinion.

Finding out that Fili could not only lift her but also hold her up for **hours** was amazing...

* * *

Aragorn had thought that he had gotten used to dwarrow with his time traveling with Gimli. Three weeks traveling with the company however... apparently he knew nothing about dwarrow when they were together or hobbits for that matter. At least Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen shared his horror at the scene before him. The only thing stopping them all from interfering was the knowledge that Bilba, Alyssa and Grace wouldn't be letting it happen if they didn't think it safe.

"The old rhymes. They‘re on my mind. We‘re one tribe. We share our memories clear and bright." Bofur sung as he cradled a giggling Celebrían. "We walk as one. Our lines are bound together. We share fate. We share one fate. We share fate!" His voice grows then to Aragorn's horror Bofur **throws** Celebrían through the air.

Dwalin snatches her up while she giggles like mad and continues the song. "Voices calling, I‘m the one." His voice is deep and gruff but Celebrían seems to love it. "A glorious vision, what may come." He too then sends her flying. Bifur is the one to catch her this time. Aragorn feels like he's going to faint, he's faced all manner of horrors in his lives but that is a baby flying through the air! One wrong move...

" **Now let our axes sing an anthem. The glory of all dwarves. Protector of the free lands.** " Bifur spins with the little baby who squeals in delight. " **We redeem our mission. We‘re brothers, one by one. Divine Smith‘s valiant sons. By Mahal, it‘s our destiny.** " And off into the air Celebrían goes again.

"We are the chosen!" Dori sings as Celebrían lands into his arms.

"We are the chosen!" The rest of the dwarrow and Bilba sing loudly.

"We are the children!" Dori sings again.

"We are the children!" The others echo, Alyssa joining them mush to Bilba's apparent joy.

"We are forged in fire and made of stone!" Dori sings before tossing Celebrían up again.

"We are the guardians of the realm. From the beginning till the end. We will praise the Divine who will last till eternity!" They all sing together as Thorin catches Celebrían.

"Forged in fire we were born. We‘re made of stone by Old father‘s hand. Gave life to us, and more. Then from father to son he made us dwarves. The guardians of the lands." Thorin sings softly to the little ball of giggles. "Still we carry on, stand side by side. We will defeat the fiercest enemy. Enemy, ENEMY!" And up she goes again! Good lord, where they trying to kill her!

Alyssa finally catches her much to Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen's relief though Alyssa doesn't come back over until they stop singing.

"We are the chosen!" They all sing together. "We are the children! We are forged in fire and made of stone! We are the guardians of the realm from the beginning till the end! We will praise the Divine! He will last till eternity! We are the chosen! We are the children! We are forged in fire and made of stone! We are the guardians of the realm from the beginning till the end! We will praise the Divine, the old smith! We‘ll be thine! We are the chosen! We are the chosen ones! We are the children! We‘re the children! We are born to be the guardians of the realm! We‘re the children! We are born to be the eternal guardians of the land!" They all cheer at the end and head to their bed rolls laughing.

"That was so much fun!" Alyssa exclaims happily as she falls into Elladan's arms.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it but please never do it again." He mutters into her hair making her laugh.

* * *

It's been four weeks since Gimli was reunited with Aragorn and it was going better he thought it would. From the stories he'd heard from his father there had been danger around every corner so he'd been, rightfully, worried when Aragorn had insisted on coming with them. It's not that he couldn't fight, Gimli knew very well that he could. Had seen him ripping through hoards of orcs himself.

It was more to do with the fact that Aragorn was his one and was now a child. It was instinctual to want to protect him. Not that Aragorn knew of this little fact of course, Gimli had probed about what humans considered ones when they all had been drinking one night and the answer had been heartbreaking. Humans had soulmates but were given no signs to tell them when they had found there other half, in fact humans had even begun to think soul mates a **myth!** What could Gimli offer a king who didn't believe in divine pairings? It had hurt more than Gimli would admit when he decided to just be friends with the man but if it was all he was going to get then he would take it. 

At least they had more time together now.

* * *

They will be hitting the remains of Moria in a week and Nori's never been more unsure of their quest, not even before did he worry as much. He hates it but everything has become a mess, what will happen to his new great granddaughter when they encounter the goblins? What of his grandchildren?

Bilba has insisted that they follow this part of the quest so she can get her ring though he doesn't know why she even needs it with her pixie roads, maybe it's for one of the others? He hates not knowing what's going to happen. All he can do is take a deep breath and keep his family safe, nothing else matters in the end.

* * *

Fili watches the company start the trek through Moria with a heavy heart, he really really hopes it all goes as well as last time. He doesn't know how Bilba will take it if one of them died. "Please be okay." He whispers.

It's all he can do.


	23. NOT A CHAPTER!

Okay, so the inspiration I had for this has died.

That doesn't mean that I'm abandoning it, just that I'm going to be taking a break from it for a while.

I'll delete this when I post the next chapter eventually.

Sorry.


End file.
